A couple are refusing to shop in the town centre after a dispute over a parking notice saw them hit with a £100 fine.

Terry and Jean Brooker, of Thistledown, Gravesend, were fined for allegedly not entering their car’s registration number correctly into the machine at St George’s Shopping Centre on Thursday, August 24.

More than two months on and the issue still has not been resolved, with their appeal against the initial £60 fine rejected and Premier Park, which runs the car park, subsequently putting it up to £100.

The Brookers have not been back since and say the issue may well put off others from shopping in town.

However, St George’s manager Andrew Thomas-Knowles said use of the car park was up.

“I am quite satisfied with the system, parking is up on last year,” he said.

“It’s convenient, it’s probably one of the cheapest car parks in the town – it’s cheaper than Thamesgate and the council car parks. I have nothing to add to that. I am happy with it.”

Mr Brooker, 77, said a previous system was better and the new machines were difficult for older people to operate but he still does not understand why he was fined.

“You used to get a ticket when you went in and when you came out you put your ticket in and it told you how much to pay,” he said. “I put the number in, put the money in, got my ticket and didn’t think anything of it, then that [the fine] came through the door about a week later.

“It seems to have only accepted the first three letters of the registration number.”

The £1.90 ticket entitled them to a four-hour stay but they left well before their time was up.

Further confusion was caused by some of the wording in the response, which said that “if the machine does not produce a receipt, then the process has not been followed correctly”.

Mrs Brooker, 73, said it was the first time in 60 years of driving that her husband had got a parking ticket.

She added: “We got a receipt, which is proof of payment. At least that’s the way we looked at it. They seem to forget that the public are their customers and if you get bad service you won’t go back.”

The couple’s daughter Tina Brooker has raised the issue with Gravesham council and intends to contact Gravesham MP Adam Holloway.

In the meantime, Cllr Diane Marsh (Con), who represents Gravesend East at Kent County Council, has called on Mr Thomas-Knowles to consider the complaint. She said: “I am constantly asked about St George’s car park. I am not at all surprised people don’t park there like they previously did."

What do you think? Email us at gravesendmessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk