Bristol charity workers among those served unhappy meals

Six charity workers from a Christian centre have all been sent £50 parking charges after they stayed too long at a McDonald's restaurant in Brislington.

Members of Carmel:centre have been regular customers at the restaurant for five years.

But their latest meal there left them less than happy.

Gerri Di Somma, chief executive of the charity, decided to treat some of his key workers to an early morning breakfast meeting earlier this month.

The group ordered extensively from the menu and conducted their meeting over a meal.

They had been going to the restaurant for five years and had not noticed that new signs had gone up in the car park limiting stays to one hour and warning that anyone who overstayed faced a penalty.

Charges levied for parking on private property are not official fines. They are claims for breach of contract that can only be pursued in a civil court.

The charity workers stayed 80 minutes at what they say was an otherwise-deserted restaurant.

Within a few days, notices from MET Parking Services, which monitors the car park on behalf of McDonald's, started hitting doormats of the charity workers and their £50 breakfast has so far cost an extra £300.

Their appeals to staff at the restaurant and to MET Parking Services have fallen on deaf ears.

If the charity workers do not pay up, the charges will double.

Gerri Di Somma said: "We have been supporting this restaurant on a regular basis for more than five years.

"On a daily basis approximately 120 workers within the charity purchase meals and drinks, and we have recommended them as a food outlet for several conferences we have held over the years.

"I am very disappointed that McDonald's have not seen the wisdom of working with one of their major clients."

Carmel:centre is the Bath Road conference centre facility for Carmel Ministries International (CMI).

There are 600 local members who run a range of community services including a school for 70 children, youth work, an after-school and holiday club, an adult education programme, divorce and grief counselling, a cafe, soup run, debt advice and dance groups.

CMI is about to open a shop where food and household provisions will be given free.

The charity workers are the latest victims of the car parking crackdown at McDonald's.

The Bristol Post reported how earlier this week Chay White, of Hartcliffe, told the Post he got a £50 charge after a his wife's car was in the car park for 21 minutes over the restaurant's one-hour limit.

McDonald's spokeswoman Alison Purves said the limit was imposed to stop people who were not customers parking there all day, but if legitimate customers needed more time, all they needed to do was talk to a duty manager, who would contact MET.

A spokesman for MET Parking Services, which manages the car park on behalf of McDonald's, said: "While we sympathise with representatives of Carmel:centre, we have a duty to ensure that all customers at this McDonald's restaurant have equal opportunities to park their car.

"Our terms and conditions, printed on all signs in and around the car park, clearly state that the maximum stay is 60 minutes and drivers cannot return within 90 minutes.

"This should give all customers ample time to enjoy their meals.

"We are happy that workers from the charity regularly visit and park at the restaurant. They just need to be aware of the time limits in force."