Nottingham's new Broad Marsh Car Park is everything you'd expect it to be.
When I first set out for the multi-million pound car park, off Canal Street, I felt pretty clued up on how exactly I would get inside and not pass through the bus gate which has claimed many thousands of victims so far.
It is an utterly baffling diversion if travelling from Maid Marian Way which has before been described as a "nightmare".
And while I appreciate there are indeed many signs warning you of impending doom (in the form of a £60 fine), it still forces you to drive over a mile more than you would if you could use the old route.
I believe, thankfully, Google Maps has since updated its navigation to reflect this new route.
So, for the avoidance of doubt, do not turn into Canal Street from Greyfriar Gate and instead continue on to Wilford Street.
Once I'd made it inside the new car park, alive and well, a large slope sent me up towards the barriers.
A machine, reachable from your car, asks of you nothing more than the press of a button to receive a ticket.
Once you leave you pop the ticket back in the machine, it tells you how much is owed, and you flash your card. Nothing revolutionary, which is welcome.
What I very much appreciated, and I don't necessarily have a large car, is the spacious design of the new building.
The route is clearly sign posted and the spaces are wide. Those clumsy enough to smash their door into yours might have a tougher time doing so, thankfully.
I could have fairly easily located a space on the first floor, thanks to the excellent traffic light system which shows which spaces are free via a green light above each one, but I decided to go explore.
The first two floors were fairly well used, the third less so, and by the fourth floor I was the only vehicle up there.
There are two more floors above but these have been fenced off. No surprise there.
I parked up, having navigated the slim but not impossibly-tight platforms leading upwards, and went for a look around. There are lots of electric charging points, the most in any one area in the country, I believe.
The stairwell at the rear of the building offers magnificent views of the city skyline and, perhaps less so, a birds-eye view of the former Broadmarsh Centre.
I finally reached the bus station area of the building, which is not yet operational, but the toasty temperature was the first thing I noticed.
I'm quite familiar with bus stations, particularly those in the Midlands, and they're usually cold, drab and all round bloody miserable places to be (I'm looking at you, Derby).
I recall one review of Derby's bus station, as follows: "Has no heating, is dirty, drafty and also full of chavvy kids."
The Broad Marsh is a far-cry from this, and it really is pleasant inside with vibrant LED lights and inviting neutral colours.
The elevators, or lifts, or whatever you like to call them, strangely have a lack of mirrors? So, if you're looking to jazz-up your appearance before heading into work, you're out of luck.
It is a shame then, considering it is now likely the nicest and safest place to park in the city, that it is simply not being used as much as had once been hoped yet.
Nottingham City Council had initially placed all bets on intu's regeneration of the Broadmarsh Centre before its demise, and now you've little reason to park in the south and walk in to the city centre.
An average of just over 240 vehicles have been parking in the car park each day and, bearing in mind this is a 1,300-space building, that really isn't ideal and the income generated may not be sustainable.
This may improve once HMRC staff swarm into the colossal new Unity Square office building off Queens Road, one in which could soon be complemented by another, even taller, sibling.
Here's hoping that one day in the future, if the Broad Marsh vision does come to fruition, the car park will better serve its purpose.
Because, as far as car parks go, it is all rather nice.
Cost to park there:
The city council offers an early bird offer of £5 when you arrive before 9.30am and leave by 6.30pm.
- Up to two hours £4.60
- Up to four hours £6.80
- Up to six hours £10.50
- Up to eight hours £14
- Up to 24 hours £16
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