A furious father was slapped with a £100 fine after getting back to his car 15 minutes late.
Dean Huddleston, 47, had visited a shopping centre in Belmont, County Durham, with his family when they decided to stay for lunch.
As a result they returned to their car later after the allotted three and a half hour stay.
And a week later they got a £100 parking charge through the post.
Dean says he believed because he was using businesses near the car park at Durham City Retail Park he would be allowed extra time.
He has since appealed the decision but Ocean Parking says there were signs clearly marked in the area.
Dean told Chronicle Live: “We are not regular users of the retail park and I had no idea there was a limit on how long you could stay there.
"I suppose I just assumed that as I was spending money in the shops on the site, I would not have to pay for the privilege of doing so.
“"We spent a couple of hours in various shops, it was getting late and the kids were hungry so we decided to go to a restaurant on the site as it was convenient.
“It ended up taking a lot longer than we thought it would, so we stayed in the car park for three hours and 46 minutes in the end, so 16 minutes longer than allowed, although I did not know that at the time."
"Around a week later, we received a parking charge notice for £100 from Ocean Parking, who manage the parking for this retail park.
“We had been in the car park for three hours and 46 minutes, 16 minutes more than the allowed time. I wrote to Ocean Parking protesting this but all I got back was a letter to say that there is signage.
“They were not interested in the fact we had spent the whole time shopping and eating in the businesses which the car park services.
"I've had to pay but feel this is very unfair.”
A spokesman for the firm said there were dozens of signs around the car park.
They added: “Ocean Parking cannot be held responsible for this, nor is this due to the signage not being visible or clear.
"There were 41 contractual warning signs in place at Durham City Retail Park which stated 3 ½ Hour Maximum Stay, therefore if Mr Huddleston has “assumed” being a customer at this location would exempt him from the parking restrictions in place, Ocean Parking cannot be held responsible for this, nor is this due to the signage not being visible or clear.
"Durham City Retail Park is private land, and therefore if the landowner wishes to enforce a time restriction on their land, it is their choice to do so.
“If Mr Huddleston did not agree with the terms and conditions at this location, he did not have to park there and could have left the site.
"The parking charge notice (PCN) was paid in full on the 8 February 2023 and is complete on our system, and Ocean Parking consider this matter closed."
