A restaurant at a service station an hour from Greater Manchester has been flooded with complaints after customers claimed they were hit with unfair parking fines.
Customers have vented their anger online after being charged £100 for parking at OK Diner, a US-style restaurant at Northop Hall services off the A55 in Flintshire, North Wales. Some have vowed to contest their fines in court and most have said they will never return to the restaurant. One family on their annual trip to Llandudno said: “Breakfast for 4 including one in a wheelchair… £265.”
The OK Diner chain promises classic American fare from the 50s “on the side of the great British road”. Over the years it has attracted a loyal clientele – but in recent weeks its online ratings have been slipping.
On 1 May, the Northop Hall site introduced new parking arrangements, with an APNR camera system managed by Smart Parking.
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To avoid a fine, customers were required to enter their vehicle registration details on a tablet. By June, social media was awash with negative comments from people who said they were loyal customers but had been fined £100.
OK Diner says they had to take action due to people parking there and not using the restaurant and that signage is up in the car park to inform people of the restrictions.
Complainants claimed they either didn’t know their car details needed to be entered – or did so but were fined anyway. From the reviews that examined North Wales Liveno one has yet successfully contested his fine.
One woman complained to OK Diner Northop Hall on their Facebook page. “I decided to take the family for a meal at this place for a Father’s Day feast,” she wrote. “We saw no signs of registering our car and no member of staff informed us that we needed to do this.
“I got a £100 fine yesterday. I was shocked and angry. I paid with my credit card, so I have proof that we ate there. This experience has put me off ever going to this place again.”
A sign at the entrance reminds people that the car park is for customers only. On Facebook, OK Diner said it introduced the new system “because of the number of cars blocking our car park that are not genuine customers”. In a post about the new arrangements, on July 8, the restaurant said that guests will only qualify for free parking if they sign in their vehicle.
Customers said there are no signs in the parking lot. One person, an MBE recipient, said he was not aware of the system either. He arrived at 12.30pm on June 11, paid for food at 1.32pm and left the car park at 1.42pm. He received a fine three weeks later and, despite sending a copy of the meal receipt, the appeals team refused to claim Smart Parking on 17 July.
He wrote: “I will attend a court of law and prove again that I am a legitimate customer as the car park signs insisted.”
A Google reviewer had a similar experience. He was also fined £100 and is appealing. He said: “Excellent customer experience. Their reviews are going down the drain because of it. I’m not sure who signed the contract but they’ve ruined their reputation for it.”
Not all recent reviews have been negative – some said they enjoyed their meals, the staff were helpful and they were “happy customers”. But many are unhappy. A tourist who left without eating, after being kept waiting for a table, was fined £100 after she returned to her trip. She headed her Tripadvisor review “Not OK Diner” and promised not to pay.
A couple traveling to Llandudno stopped at Northop Hall Services for breakfast with their daughter, who arrived in her own car. They were both fined £100. The mum wrote: “Breakfast for four £62.35, gave cashier £65 cash plus 2 parking fines £100 each.
“Absolutely disgusting. Why wasn’t there a machine inside to log your car details when we arrived? We will never use this place again.”
Two retired parents drove three hours to meet their children, spent more than £100 on food, and both parties were fined £100 each. It was a similar story for two other pensioners – one disabled – who also received a £100 parking fine. Despite being regular customers, they said no member of staff told them what to do. “Totally embarrassing,” wrote one. “I will never go into an OK restaurant again. I have informed all my family and friends.”
Recent visitors believe OK Diner staff have been reminded to inform customers that a sign-in is required. But people claim they are still being fined. “Apparently the tablet didn’t process my data and now I have a £100 fine,” said one customer. “I took this up with the parking company and was told it was my responsibility even though the staff said it would be fine.”
OK Diner has been contacted for comment. On Facebook, in response to complaints from angry customers, the Northop Hall restaurant offered to help. Sharing an online contact form, he wrote: “Please use this link to provide details, including your proof of purchase, we can help you sort this out.”
Complaints have also been made to the OK Diner account on X (Twitter) – one man was fined after meeting his wife for tea after work. In response, the company said on July 10: “I’m sorry you received a PCN. Signage is up in the car park to inform people of the restrictions. It was necessary to bring this in because the car park was often full but the restaurant wasn’t busy, and real customers couldn’t find a space to park.”
Smart Parking has also been asked for a statement. A spokesman said: “Smart Parking has been introduced into the car park management at the OK Diner to stop parking abuse and ensure genuine customers are always able to find a parking space.
“The car park at Dinéar OK is private land, and drivers should always check the terms and conditions of use before deciding to park. At the OK Diner there is no free parking between the hours of 9pm and 9am and this is clearly highlighted on many signs located across the site. Customers who park within the correct hours simply update the terminal in the OK Diner to receive free parking.
“Smart Parking are proud members of the British Parking Association (BPA) and adhere strictly to its guidelines. We operate an appeals service audited by the MSP and would encourage any motorist who feels they have been wrongly charged to contact us directly and we will investigate.”