A mother from Nottingham has been left shocked and fighting a £100 penalty after a private parking firm accused her of staying at a retail park for nearly 18 hours, despite her visit lasting just ten minutes.
The 'dumbfounding' fine before Christmas
Nikita Betton, a 37-year-old mum of four from Arnold, says she briefly visited the Springfield Retail Park in Bulwell on December 18 to pop into a pound shop. However, just before Christmas, on December 23, she received a parking charge notice from operator Premier Park.
The letter alleged her vehicle was parked at the site from 3.36pm on December 18 until 9.21am the following day – a total of 17 hours and 44 minutes. The fine was set at £60, rising to £100 if not paid promptly.
"I was absolutely dumbfounded," Ms Betton stated. "I was there for 10 minutes if that. We go there all the time and never ever had anything like this. Christmas is hard enough without having a parking fine letter through your door."
Evidence submitted in appeal
Ms Betton insists she has proof she was elsewhere during the 17-hour period in question, including completing the school run and visiting other shops. She has appealed the charge and provided bank statements to support her case, but says she has yet to receive a response.
She also expressed frustration with the appeals process, claiming the only contact number provided by the company requires a payment to call, leaving her unsure how to proceed with her challenge.
A pattern of problematic penalties
Campaigners say Ms Betton's experience is not an isolated incident. Hugh Bladon of the Alliance of British Drivers said he has heard of "too many" similar cases, arguing that parking enforcement has become more about generating revenue than ensuring fairness. He urged motorists to stand their ground when they believe a charge is incorrect.
This specific retail park has been at the centre of disputes before. Nottinghamshire Live has previously reported on other motorists wrongly fined there, including:
- A driving instructor who only used the car park to teach a manoeuvre in August 2020.
- A woman who received a ticket for a 14-hour stay in July 2020, despite claiming she had never visited the location.
The issue of disproportionate parking enforcement extends nationwide. In a separate case reported in November 2025, business trainer Christian Wolstencroft was fined £100 for overstaying by just seven minutes at an OK Diner car park in Leominster. He left abruptly after receiving a call that his elderly mother had been hospitalised, but the operator, Smart Parking Ltd, refused to show compassion and cancelled the penalty.
There is growing anger among drivers who feel the system, run by both private companies and councils, is stacked against them and increasingly difficult to contest.
