Shopper warns of parking rule changes at Lidl in Taunton

11:00am Thursday 10th January 2013 in Taunton Photograph of the Author By Daniel Milligan

John Kerswell next to the Wood Street Lidl store. John Kerswell next to the Wood Street Lidl store.

SHOPPERS have been warned not to fall foul of changes to parking rules at a town centre supermarket.

Customers of Lidl used to be able to park at the Wood Street store for shopping and leave the site to head into the town centre but, after a recent change in parking restrictions, customers now have 90 minutes to shop and face a £90 fine if they leave the site, reduced to £50 if paid within two weeks.

John Kerswell, 67, of Taunton, said Lidl should be advertising the change more prominently to stop people being caught out.

He said: “I needed some money in town after my shopping, but I was told if I left the site I’d be fined.

“The change should be advertised more – lots of people are going to get caught out and it’s really bad customer service. They shouldn’t be punishing people after the act – they should let them know beforehand.”

Mr Kerswell said he had raised his concerns with supermarket staff.

Lidl says it used to offer free parking for town centre shoppers, but had to make the change due to “abuse and overcrowding”.

A spokesman said: “It’s important that our customers are given priority and unfortunately we’ve received a deluge of complaints that they’ve been unable to park.

“To tackle the issue, a security guard will provide daily operation of the car park.”

What are your thoughts on the change? Let us know and comment below.

Comments(30)

Slow down! says...
11:19am Thu 10 Jan 13

About time too, well done Lidl.

All too often I have to wait to park to do shopping in their store as spaces are taken up by people going into town.

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confusedconfucious says...
11:42am Thu 10 Jan 13

I often need to go to the bank to see if I have enough for my shopping before I go into Lidl, if I am unable to do so then I will no longer be able to shop there ........... I believe they will be shooting themselves in the foot ......

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Slow down! says...
11:54am Thu 10 Jan 13

Oh well thats one more space for the rest of us:)

You could always do your banking online!

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FreeSpeech? says...
2:49pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Good I might be able to shop there on Saturdays in future as every time I've tried to park in the past the car parks full and only 10-15 people in the shop.
Should have large signs warning of fines though.

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Gem64 says...
5:17pm Thu 10 Jan 13

About time! To be fair Lidl should advertise this clearly and not be too harsh enforcing it in the first couple
of weeks. I am looking forward to my next shop and being able to park. I would recommend that you check your balance before you arrive and as for them shooting themselves in the foot, far from it, with luck those of us that have had to continue onto to Tesco because Lidl carpark full will happily take your space. Happy Parking Lidlers.

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Mi_Coc says...
6:57pm Thu 10 Jan 13

You still park for free at the roman road one, but at your own risk.

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Taunton-Somerset says...
7:19pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Another wonderful British idea.

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boliston says...
7:24pm Thu 10 Jan 13

This is a privately owned car park so it is NOT a "fine", it is an invoice.

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souwesterly says...
8:46pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Anywhere else in town you pay a small fortune to park - if you can find a space. I wonder just what percentage of people who use that car park actually then shop in Lidl's? It's a logical move; it is for their customers after all, but it may also be another nail in the retailers coffin.
*
I bank on-line and I do more and more of my shopping on-line. I only parked in town once in December for Christmas shopping....why bother when internet 'parking' is free?
And as Lidl's don't offer a home delivery service, they're probably driving customers to Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys.
*
Perhaps some compromise is needed.

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souwesterly says...
8:47pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Mi_Coc wrote:
You still park for free at the roman road one, but at your own risk.
Ah - but there are no other shops or banks within walking distance.....

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Mark1970 says...
11:45pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Lidl's should do what Morrisons do and charge for the parking and when you spend instore over a certain amount, then you get your money off shopping.

Like most people I have used the car park to go into Pound Strechers or maybe picked up a takeaway with no desire to shop at Lidl's.

The car park though in reality cannot hold enough cars for their actual shoppers. What does it actually fit about 150 cars? Certainly not enough for peak hours.

Roman road is the best Lidl's in Town, bigger car park more products than I ever found going to the Bridge Lidl's and does not flood or stink.

Although a lot of places have rats around the local area, but the bridge Lidl's has supposed to have been plagued by them, especially when the river is high.

Still logical solution for it's customers, but how long have they been open for and now it is finally taking sensible action?

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steve sj says...
5:19pm Fri 11 Jan 13

We were taking some stuff to a charity shop and decided to do some small shopping at Lidls the other day. As we went round we remembered lots of other stuff we needed longer term and finished up spending about £40 before we went off to the charity shop.
If we face a £90 fine for doing that we would not shop there, even though they have some rather unusually delicious items from germany. Lidls need to use the car park as an assett rather than a stick. Follow Morrissons & Sainsburys lead! I look forward to reading they have changed their policy!

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Jim F says...
6:57pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Folks just wait until the real super price store Aldi arrives. You will wonder what all the fuss was about Lidl. Aldi will knock them for six.

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FreeSpeech? says...
7:49pm Fri 11 Jan 13

When and where is that opening?

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Mark1970 says...
8:27pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Aldi are looking for property in Taunton, but nothing has been found yet or not so I believe.

http://www.aldi.co.u
k/uk/html/company/13
951_13965.htm

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Mark1970 says...
1:27am Sat 12 Jan 13

Thinking about the most logical solution it would be at Hankridge Farm taking over the Comet store that closed down.

Plenty of shopping space, and plenty of space for customers to park.

The downside is that the rent might be higher than they want to pay and Sainsbury's around the corner.

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Slow down! says...
7:08am Sat 12 Jan 13

Firepool....?

Taunton's bright new vision, Viridor and Aldi.

Keep aiming high Taunton.....

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Dr Dave says...
7:16pm Sun 13 Jan 13

I don't think the old Comet store would be suitable - the car parking availability within the existing carpark (already too small at peak periods) isn't high enough.

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Mark1970 says...
8:21am Mon 14 Jan 13

Possibly no other location would be suitable unless they got hold of some land.

As Slow Down has said, Firepool seems a viable option but would be a nightmare on traffic, especially Canal road, Station road, Priory Bridge road.

Hopefully they would want to do something on a grand scale to beat Bridgwater, and not want to try and squeeze down onto the high street.

Firepool could have been something special if it had of not been for the Viridor office. You could have made that into a cosmopolitan area.

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Jim F says...
3:27pm Mon 14 Jan 13

He he! good try folks. Just watch this space.
Buy items at Tesco £80, buy identical, but improved items at Aldi circa £64.How? simple, stores in Oz, Nz, Canada US and throughout Europe.Bigger buying power than even Walmart. And still with one family running the show. Purchases made today in Bridgwater.

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Anonone says...
4:25pm Mon 14 Jan 13

Sneaky suspicion that some contributors here may have inside information and are certainly ramping up advertising for Aldi. Lidl is a good value store and although one couldn't do a weeks shop there they do have some very good produce at less than the existing competition. Why should n't they set the rules for their own car park. They are quite clear and for quite a few days there was a car park attendant talking to all car owners/shoppers advising them of the impending change. How would you like it if someone parked on your drive so they could visit another house in the street. Wood Street car park is nearby always with space for £1.70 for two hours. How tight can you be.

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dan666 says...
6:32pm Mon 14 Jan 13

Shoppers that shop in Lidl's should have only ever used their car park for visits to Lidl's not town shopping in the first place, many times I have tried to shop at Lidl's but have not been able to even park in their car park. Should never have been allowed in the first place. Same goes for Morrisons all too often you see people park then walk over the bridge to the town. Want to shop in town then go to a local authority car park and allow shoppers that want Lidl's to bloody park there.

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Mark1970 says...
6:11am Tue 15 Jan 13

Mmmmm cannot see it but HMV possibly going to shut down. Another store left empty in Taunton.

Food for thought

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Slow down! says...
10:14am Tue 15 Jan 13

HMV could be turned into a mini Tesco's?

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Jim F says...
11:00am Tue 15 Jan 13

How many TESCO stores do you want in Taunton? There is one 200 yards from HMV.

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Mark1970 says...
4:22pm Tue 15 Jan 13

I was think more along the lines of a trendier kind of Aldi go slow.

Not sure if that would be big enough to cope with demand though, especially not with freezers and stuff like that in there, still it is split level.

Only other place where it would be via would be near the cash and carry.

Hey this makes a good party game this, spot where the Aldi could go.

God I wish we had a farm foods as well, that would make Taunton.

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oxyheamaglobin says...
6:54pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Wow i cant park my car or wait 5-10 mins IT,S THE END OF THE WORLD.....jesus walk or get a life people.

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Mark1970 says...
4:22pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Oh well looks like Blockbusters is going to go now.

So that will be my final and hopeful guess at an Aldi's.

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Jim F says...
4:47pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Final and hopeless guess. Not to worry pal all will soon become clear

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Anonone says...
6:02pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Lidl could of course concentrate on Hamilton Road and allow Aldi in there. There has been some rationalisation like this elsewhere. Or maybe on the waste ground opposite Tesco who were going to have it as a garage but didn't want to be ransomed into paying for the new bridge - I understand. Come on JF put us out of our misery. We won't tell anyone

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