In the grand scheme of little things that really, really, wind me up, parking in Manchester city centre consistently tops the list. The extortionate prices, the annoying way you now have to pay up front, the constant road diversions meaning you can't get to them... I could go on and on.
And I will go on, actually, because they've now found a new way to get my goat.
I didn’t think that after 20-odd years of navigating Manchester’s myriad of multi-storeys there could be a new way to irritate me. But yes, yes there is.
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In a new one for me, I’ve now had my car LOCKED UP when I didn’t get back to it by 11.30pm. The car park I'd chosen, at Piccadilly Gardens, had closed up for the night, leaving my car marooned inside until the next day.
Peering through the security grilles, I could see a very small sign on the wall saying it wouldn’t reopen until 5.30am. I couldn't believe it - but I was not alone in making this grave error.
As I stood, jaw literally dropped at being locked out, a group of ladies from Leeds were also left stranded, looking horrified that their cars were all locked up inside. "We don't know Manchester", they wailed. "Well I do, and I'm just as shocked," I replied.
There was nothing, nothing on the exterior of the car park when you drive in to state that this is not a 24 hour car park. Otherwise I (and those ladies) clearly wouldn't have used it.
There is just a big blue poster outside saying: "Welcome to Piccadilly Gardens Car Park", adding: "Park up and pay before you walk away".
And indeed, they’ll take your money for a 24 hour stay at said car park - that's exactly what I'd paid for - so never for one minute did I think that meant no 24 hour access. Yet it closes each night between 11.30pm and 5.30am, as I have now discovered.
I had parked my car up at the multi-storey on Chatham Street as I was attending the Eurovision Song Contest fan zone on Piccadilly Gardens at the weekend. And, as I was heading there alone (it was to report on the event for the MEN) it seemed the safest thing to do was to park at the nearest car park given I knew I’d be walking back on my own after midnight.
Parking so centrally was certainly not the cheapest option. The tariff for six hours parking here is £20.20, but knowing I'd be in the city for a full 8 hour work shift, I had to go for the 24 hour payment at £25.50.
And before you say “why didn’t you just get the train” - well that wasn’t even an option was it, because they were all on strike last Saturday. And the last train to where I live is just before midnight anyway.
So, what are you supposed to do when your car, your only means of transport home, is locked up in a car park?? And my house keys were locked in the boot as well. I was in despair.
The Leeds ladies had the sensible thought to try and ring the out-of-hours number on the wall in a bid to get help. But there was no answer.
Half an hour later they were desperately booking hotel rooms to stay over for the night, it was simply their only option, albeit a pricey one. At least they had each other for some sort of comfort in the chill of Chatham Street that night.
Me, meanwhile? Well, I was on my own.
I had my disposable contact lenses in, and no glasses in my bag - they were sat at home on my bedside table. So I could not book a hotel and sleep over in Manchester because I’d be completely blind when I woke up in the morning if I did.
So, taxi home it was. The trauma of trying to get said taxi back home, waiting for an hour, being quoted £60 but then charged £85 thanks to the M56 being closed YET AGAIN for the never-ending roadworks from hell, is a story for another day.
I then had to get a £15 train back to Manchester the following morning, with my face contorted into a twitching, bitter grimace the whole way. So that's £100 I shelled out, on top of the £25.50 charge for the parking itself.
It was a costly mistake - and one I don't want others to make - which is why I'm writing about this now. Yes, it was entirely my fault in not seeing the signs, but I can see how easily this can happen and I wonder exactly how many others fall foul of this.
Because, returning in the cold light of day to this car park I could see, very clearly, that there were no signs outside to state that it closes at 11.30pm. When you drive in, there are no barriers anymore, due to the "pay upfront" system, so there are no signs immediately in front of your eyes as you drive in informing you of its opening hours.
I've asked Manchester Council about this issue and they have pointed to a sign, on a side wall, that does state that the car park closes overnight. They sent me a close up image of it (above).
Now, I also took a photo of this sign, and it's my view that in the midst of all the other info displayed here, it doesn't exactly leap out at you does it?
It's the small red square, near the ground on the photo below, in case you're struggling to spot it.
They say the reason for the overnight closure of the car park is due to concerns about anti-social behaviour in the Piccadilly Gardens area.
The council say they believe there is adequate signage about the opening hours inside the car park, both at the main entrance/exit (as pictured here) and also "clear signage near payment points".
That is if you're using those physical payment points of course, and not paying on an App.
A spokesperson for Manchester Council said: "In the past there have been concerns raised around anti-social behaviour taking place at this car park late at night and early in the morning.
"As a result the decision was taken to secure the building overnight to act as a deterrent. This has been the case for several years now.
"The Council offers the option for a motorist to pay for 24 hours of parking as the destination is popular for people visiting the city who may wish to leave their car overnight if they are staying in a hotel or nearby accommodation. There is however clear signage near payment points as well as at the exits displaying the opening and closing times of the car park."
It transpires that I, and those lovely Leeds ladies, were spectacularly unlucky in our choice of car park in Manchester.
Because, believe it or not, of all the council-owned car parks in the city centre, it is ONLY the Piccadilly Gardens one that locks overnight.
Meanwhile, of the NCP car parks in the city centre, I've since learned a few of those lock up before midnight also - they are the Oxford Street, City Tower and Chester Street car parks.
I knew that the private car park at M&S/Selfridges on Deansgate closes at 8pm every night because there are VERY clear signs on the entrance, and also right next to the barrier as you drive in too.
So I guess the moral of this story is always to check when you're parking in the city centre later at night that the car park doesn't have a closing time. It's certainly an expensive lesson learned for me.
But if sharing my woes here spares one other person the misery and drama of having to shell out loads of money on late night taxis or last minute hotel stays, then my job here is done.
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