Tenants of Fleckney pub defend decision to charge for parking after residents hit with fines

Everards Brewery owns the Old Crown on the High Street, as well as the car park behind the property and the one across the road between the chemist and the Toast Office.

People living in Fleckney have hit out at the pub for introducing parking enforcement cameras, signage and new charges for using the car parks.

Laura Gee has lived in the village for 25 years, and says people have been handed fines when parking.

She said: “[An elderly woman] was there for six minutes and she got a fine.

“People are literally just nipping in and out.

“We’re being whacked with this in this small village where there is nowhere to go.

“It’s just a bit wild for just a small village.”

The landlady at the Old Crown, Paula Townsend, has been running the pub for eight years.

She has been sent threats after announcing the paid parking online and says there has been confusion surrounding the enforcement.

Paula said: “I didn’t put the car park in place.

“I’ve had threats and everything about it.”

“People are saying, ‘Let’s go and boycott the pub.’”

“Why should I be targeted for that?”

Now, the tenants of the pub have issued a statement.

A spokesman for LEC Pubs, speaking on behalf of the tenants of The Old Crown, said: “We are aware that concerns about the new parking arrangements have been raised directly with Everards Brewery and have also been discussed within the local community.

“We want to make it very clear that Everards Brewery did not introduce the parking enforcement. The decision was made by us, as the current tenants and operators of The Old Crown.”

Everards was approached for comment.

The tenants claim the paid parking system was introduced after “ongoing problems with people who were not using the pub, leaving their vehicles in our car parks, sometimes making it difficult for our customers to find somewhere to park”.

Customers visiting the Old Crown can pay for free by entering their vehicle registration details inside the pub - which gives them 24 hours free parking.

People who are not pub customers can use the car parks on a paid basis, while Blue Badge holders get their first hour free.

There had been confusion regarding a 15-minute grace period - with people pulling into the car park for short stays.

Even Paula was unclear about the details.

She explained: “The 15-minute grace means you have 15 minutes to download the app.

“I thought they meant a 15 grace where you could just quickly park and go to the chemist. But it isn’t.”

And residents claim the enforcement already has impacted the roads.

Laura said: “[People] park right outside [the car park], but then that is a massive inconvenience for anyone passing through the village because it’s carnage.”

“That’s then making the Co-op car park more busy as well.

“You need to not be shafting your residents like that.”

LEC Pubs, a family-run company owned by Steve Thornton, says the purpose of this new system was to “protect parking for our customers, not to create unnecessary difficulties for people in the village”.

The spokesperson said: “We understand why some people are concerned, particularly where Parking Charge Notices are reported to have been issued after only a very short period.

“We are listening to the concerns that have been raised and will take these matters up with the parking management company.

“We also want to apologise to Everards Brewery for any criticism directed towards them as a result of the parking arrangements. This was our decision as the current tenants of The Old Crown, not theirs.

“The Old Crown is part of the Fleckney community, and we want to continue having a positive relationship with our customers, neighbours and other businesses in the village.”

This was something echoed by Paula, who has been affected by the hate she has received over this decision.

She added: “I’m just so tired because I’ve built such a good rapport with the community, and I’ve done so much for it. One little thing like this has really gone against me.”