I'm a landlord & was so fed up of people abusing my pub's parking I introduced a fee – I don't care if I lose customers | The Sun

A LANDLORD was so fed up with people abusing his pub's car parking that he introduced a fee – and doesn't care about losing customers.

The North Yorkshire landlord, who has not been named, says he was so sick of overnight campers, walkers, and anybody but customers using his pub's car park that he had a machine installed.

He says he also came up against to "daily abuse" and swearing from people who wanted to park outside the Fox and Hound Hotel at Slapewath but didn't support the business.

The landlord, of Huss Ltd, said the issues with troublesome car parkers has been dragging out for five years.

Huss Ltd also owns The Chase cafe and Retriever restaurant buildings, which sit on the same grounds as the pub, and the landlord told Teesside Live he had never asked tenants for "any service charge for maintenance, lighting or security" of the car park.

He said: "People fly-tip, they drive round the back when it's dark, dump their rubbish and drive out.

"Dog-walkers with seven or eight dogs, even vans pull up and take them for a walk into the woods, then come back and drive off.

"We've even got a cat walker. He has a cat with a bag on his back, he jumps over the fence and takes the cat for a walk at least a couple of times a week.

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"I confronted him, he still does it but he parks on the road now.

"People share cars, they dump a couple of cars in the car park then take a third car and go to Whitby, leaving their vehicles for the day.

"People hold runs in the area, they set up a rest station with water in our car park.

"We are in the middle of The Cleveland Way, it's a perfect location. We run a hotel here but people still park in their camper vans and sleep for the night. There's a campsite round the corner.

"Sometimes people leave their cars for two or three days. I could go on and on".

But, customers and Guisborough locals have now slammed Huss Ltd saying it's bad business, a "money-making scam" and may lead to more congestion in the already busy hamlet.

The landlord denies the fee is a money making scam, after handing car park over to management firm Creative Carpark Solutions, which uses cameras and ticket machines.

One customer of the cafe said: "Very surprised after my visit at lunchtime today to see that the owner seems to think making a parking charge in the pub car park is a good idea.

"Apparently to stop walkers from leaving their vehicles and not using the facilities. I would have thought a very negative way to do business."

Some people are saying this is money-making scam and I'm being greedy, which is unfair.

The company has denied making a profit off the new fee, claiming that despite a small contribution from the parking firm, they are "still at a loss" after maintenance costs.

He added: "My tenants are oblivious, it's me running round getting stressed.

"I've stood and waited for people that aren't going into the pub and said 'come on now, we're a business please don't take the mickey'.

"It's a private car park, private land. People don't know how many times I've had rubbish removed, or the arguments on a daily basis, people swearing."

Customers can park for free for the first half hour, with a £2 charge for the following hour and £1 for the next.

Hotel patrons are exempt and there are two free spaces for Blue Badge holders.

The Retriever bar restaurant is also deducting the cost of the parking for customers who present their tickets.

The landlord added: "Some people are saying this is money-making scam and I'm being greedy, which is unfair.

"That hurts, I'm a person with feelings. I still have to do the potholes, electric bills, I will still be out of pocket after all this.

"If it wasn't for the abuse, I wouldn't do it. It breaks your heart.

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"I bought this place when it was shut down, rescued it, got the place back to five-stars. Now the three businesses are here and it's ticking over.

"It's a busy place in a good location. If you go to Roseberry Topping, you pay to park, I've been a cancer patient for five years, I pay to park at the hospital.

"It's free to park in the road, if people want the car park they pay a small fee."

Huss Ltd has also defended a decision to block access to the green in the village, which is on their land.

One critic of the parking charges said: "[Huss Ltd] was looking for planning permission for car charging points and a kiosk on the green.

"The application was rejected. At the hearing they stated that if wasn't approved then they would stop access to the green.

"They locked the gates and put barriers up. More recently they have submitted plans again for the exact same thing.

"[The new parking charges] will result in total congestion in the already busy little hamlet. Especially on carvery days.

"Also the nearby woods have deep seated fires, which mean the fire brigade need regular access."

The landlord added: "This is the best place for an EV charger, it's a perfect location.

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"We need more EV charge points and I'm trying to do something that benefits the community.

"Also, if people observed the double yellow lines, there would be no obstructions and fire engines would find it easier – they're there for a reason."

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