We’re forced to close our foodbank after being hit with £4k of parking fines

A FOODBANK fears it will be forced to close its doors after being fined over £4,000 for parking outside its own business.

Founder Loree Moran-Wilson has called on the parking company to “find their social conscience”.

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Kenton Foodbank in North West London says over 500 families regularly rely on them for support.

But their efforts to help those in need may soon be halted unless they fork out for the “countless” number of fines they have received since 2020 that they feel are unwarranted.

Loree told Chronicle Live: “We need these companies to find their social conscience. We’re in the middle of a cost of living crisis.

“I started the foodbank four years ago because I knew people needed it in Kenton then and we need it even more now.

“We need support not people trying to drag us down.”

Alongside the foodbank’s own vans being slapped with the fines, volunteers says they have also been unfairly penalised.

Some claim they have even been hit with fines after just 15 minutes, despite an hour supposedly being allowed for free parking.

The car park is owned by Castlecap Investments, although it was taken over by Civil Enforcement Ltd in 2021.

Both companies have issued parking fines to the foodbank’s two vans, and although she was eventually able to get a charitable permit, Loree’s request initially didn’t receive a response for nearly a year.

She added that the car park used to be free, and in the time it took to get a permit the fines kept racking up.

The foodbank founder said that she has only been able to secure a parking permit for one of their two vans, and with both vehicles building up penalties, the foodbank now faces a whopping £4,000 in fines.

Loree said: “The trouble we’ve got is that the company who put the signs up are not really associated with the people who are distributing the tickets.

“There’s no-one you can actually speak with to get the tickets to stop, so we literally get a ticket every time we drive to the foodbank.

“It’s been going on for over two years and when I did get through to the owners, I was asked why I couldn’t park somewhere else.

“It’s ridiculous advice, what are we supposed to do, carry loads of food from one part of the car park to the next?

“If I couldn’t get food into the foodbank, if I had taken these tickets seriously, all the families we provide food parcels to every week wouldn’t have any food.

“I truly believe there’s got to be someone within Castlecap or the company issuing the parking tickets who has the authority to just say ‘stop doing this do a foodbank, it’s awful, what are we doing?'”

‘ABSOLUTELY CRAZY’

The local community has also been plagued by the harsh parking restrictions, with local businesses saying they too are feeling the brunt.

One of the shops that uses the car park behind Kenton Shopping Centre that is complaining about the unfair fines is Silverline Memories, another local charity that helps those with dementia.

Self-employed window cleaner Jeremy Burke, who helps at the foodbank, said he even received a county court judgment for refusing to pay his fine after thinking it was a scam.

Jeremy added: “It’s absolutely crazy, there are people who have given up their time in the community and are getting charged parking fines.”

Those fined have claimed it is difficult to speak to Civil Enforcement Ltd, despite the firm’s website offering a phone number to pay your fine and an appeals process.

The company said: “Our appeals process is quick and extremely user friendly and is available 24/7 on the website portal.

“Details of the appeals process are clearly set out on the parking charge and on our website.

“In common with all local authorities and most other private parking operators, appeals cannot be made over the phone.

“This reduces confrontation and ensures that appeals are dealt with quickly and efficiently, and that anyone wishing to appeal can register all their grounds of appeal and upload their supporting evidence to ensure the appeal is dealt with fairly and efficiently.”

A spokesman added: “As far as we are aware, no permits have been requested but they are able to do so via the landlord of the site.

“Anyone dropping off parcels at the foodbank would not receive a parking charge unless they remain in the car park for longer than the 60 minutes free parking allowance.”

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