Concerns raised over parking issues at Belgard McDonald’s
By Laura Lyne
FAST food giant McDonald's have made steps to alleviate concerns of customers using the car park of McDonald's on the Belgard Road following issues raised regarding the policing of the car park after a number of customers found their cars clamped while in the restaurant.
The car park is managed by NCPS on behalf of McDonald's, with signs posted clearly throughout the car park that parking is available for up to one hour after which clamping can occur with a €125 fine.
However, concerns have been raised by customers who use the restaurant, with one customer online stating that “anyone bringing kids to any McDonald’s knows that one hour is not enough”.
The Echo understands that company policy for the McDonald’s Belgard Road car park allows for customers present in the restaurant to stay for more than one hour and involves the management company of the car park informing restaurant management when a car is parked over one hour, and clamping only occurs if the customer cannot be confirmed to be present in the restaurant.
A number of readers have contacted The Echo with their concerns, with one saying: “If anyone is over the hour, they are getting clamped. I was recently in the car park and I saw the car being clamped beside me.
“I asked the clamper what a customer should do if they have been in the restaurant over the hour, and they said that if the customer goes into the restaurant and speaks with management they can look it up on the video and the clamp will be removed.
“I wouldn’t trust it myself, I would be worried about it. What if a customer is in there and they come out of the restaurant a bit over the hour, there’d be a fear of being clamped. It’s €125 to get it removed, a lot of money.”
A spokesperson for McDonald’s confirmed two incidents of clamping in the car park and told The Echo: “I can confirm two incidents where customers in the restaurant had their cars clamped accidentally, and the customers in question were immediately refunded.
“We have a great relationship with our customers on the Belgard Road and we would like to see that continue.”
A spokesperson for NCPS told The Echo: “NCPS is contracted by McDonald’s to operate parking controls at the restaurant. The control measures are those sought by McDonald’s and implemented on their part by NCPS.”
Read more…
