A dad has been left fuming after being slapped with a fine for parking at McDonald's during half of a family fun day. The chain's Barton Dock Road restaurant, next to EventCity in Trafford, hosted the event to raise cash for Ronald McDonald House Charities on Sunday, September 18.
Aaron Hamilton, from Salford, took his partner Francesca Amoroso and three-year-old daughter Bella to the event. It included face painting for children and the chance for kids to make their own ice cream.
The event was advertised as taking place from midday to 4pm, and Aaron's family stayed for around half of that time. But yesterday (September 28) he was left shocked after being sent a parking ticket by operator UKPC, having parked up outside the McDonald's for more than an hour and a half.
Aaron, 37, told the Manchester Evening News : "It was a family fun day, it's not like you are just going to sit down and eat a McDonald's. You should expect the parking to cover the event.
"I'm not happy about it. I'm obviously going to appeal it, but I shouldn't have to be spending an hour or so appealing it, it's a massive waste of my time.
"I'm not going to pay it - absolutely no chance. If McDonald's doesn't cancel it they will pass it on to debt collectors, it will go on my credit file and that kind of stuff, but it's the principle."
A poster placed in the restaurant told customers the event would be running from midday until 4pm, and Aaron is convinced he will not be the only driver who was stung by the parking issue. McDonald's says that cancelling parking tickets outside its restaurants is done at the discretion of the companies which operate them.
The M.E.N. contacted McDonald's and UKPC about Aaron's ticket yesterday. It's understood that Aaron's parking ticket is now being cancelled by UKPC with a letter being sent out.
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