Car park sharks
Car parks at UK city and town centres and railway stations have seen less traffic recently. The pandemic is a contributing factor, although it's not the only one. Flexible working practices; urban traffic control measures; and the growth of online shopping have all taken their toll. So much so, that the UK's largest car park operator, NCP, has reported that its revenues have dropped by 80% since the onset of the pandemic. The company is trying to renegotiate its leases with its landlords, in an effort to cut costs and avoid insolvency.
If NCP were to fail, it would be bad news for its 1,000 employees. Nevertheless, I have absolutely no sympathy with the company's plight. None at all.
NCP's ticket machines don't give change and most don't accept cards. And you have to pay in advance, not when you're leaving. This means that not only must you predict how long you'll stay—adding a little extra just in case
—if you don't have the exact amount in cash, you must pay more than is needed and they keep the excess. That's annoying enough, but the cheeky fuckers then double-down with a notice stating overpayment accepted
.
Not sorry, no change given
; overpayment accepted
. (mad)
There's something about that brazen fuck you!
that really gets my back up. Coupled with the fact that they're among the more expensive car parks in the first place, it means that they're simply taking the piss and thumbing their nose at their customers. And that is why I frikkin' hate NCP.
I very much look forward to NCP going belly-up. I shall laugh and sing and dance when it happens. I may even travel to the UK, just to take a dump on the CEO's desk.