Bosses at Harborough’s Aldi supermarket have decided to introduce tough measures to clamp down on people using its car park but not shopping at the store.

The car park, in Springfield Street, is one of the few remaining free car parks in town after Harborough District Council introduced pay-and-display meters in November 2004.

Town workers wanting to avoid fees are believed to be the worst culprits but commuters using the nearby train station are also thought to be taking advantage since residents’ parking zones were introduced in streets surrounding St Mary’s Road in December.

Store manager Paul Meredith told the Mail the parking problem had increased since the store opened in December 2005.

“People have slowly realised they can park here and walk into town,” he said. “We’ve had some regular customers complain to us that they’re having to drive around for ten to 15 minutes before they can get a space.”

Private company Parking Eye has installed registration plate-recognition cameras and signs have been put up warning drivers who stay longer than an hour-and-a-half could be fined £70.

Mr Meredith said the store monitored drivers for a week and found people parking before heading in the direction of the train station or towards town.

He said some vehicles were seen parking all day and sometimes overnight

Aldi had previously placed leaflets under drivers’ windscreen wipers warning it could take action.

Mr Meredith said: “We didn’t want to use pay-and-display because it’s not fair on our customers. It was a big decision but our customers come first.”

The Mail spoke to shoppers yesterday (Wednesday) to hear their views.

Claire Powell (46), of Hartland Drive, Harborough, said: “I can see why they have done it but I don’t understand why they don’t use the same system as Sainsbury’s and the Co-op [refunding fees after showing car park receipt].”

Margaret Hobson (48), of Lodge Close, Kibworth, said: “I don’t blame them. Many people park there and walk into town.”

Allan Parker (55), of Weston-by-Welland, said: “I think they should publicise it a bit better – but at the end of the day it’s their car park and they can do what they want.”

But one town worker who admitted he had been parking at Aldi for more than a year to avoid charges said he had ‘never seen the car park full’.

The nearby Lidl store car park, also free, has signs telling drivers they face £50 fines if they stay for more than two hours.