Daredevils paid lots of for zip wire however actual blow got here once they acquired dwelling

A pensioner who forked out £300 for Zip World rides was left “disgusted” at being slapped with a £100 fine for using its car park.

The popular North Wales attraction has come under fire in a swathe of negative internet reviews.

It comes after the tickets ruined birthdays and other celebrations with what’s being called a “stealth tax” – a £60 fine that rockets to £100 if not settled quickly.

Everyone who got fined claimed the parking signs were missed and they would’ve happily coughed up the £3-£6 fee.

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One bloke, planning to celebrate his 70th birthday at Zip World in Betws-y-Coed, ended up with two £100 fines and vowed never to use the company again after this experience.

Zip World defended the fees, saying they’re needed to handle soaring costs and fund improvements. They insist that parking information is included in booking confirmations and signs are up.

However, it seems many visitors are still clueless about these charges. One lady was fuming after her £300 day out escalated to £400, slamming her parking fine as an “absolute disgrace”, reports North Wales Live.

She raged: “Never have I ever paid over £300 for a fun day-out to be fined £100 for using their customer car park. Will not return… this is a disgraceful way to treat paying guests who have travelled miles to enjoy the experience.”

Robin Lane, a Zip World enthusiast from Northwich, Cheshire, was slapped with two fines in one day at Penrhyn Quarry. The incident occurred while he was waiting for his partner, who had been gifted a Red Letter Days experience to try out the Quarry Kart experience.

While she was enjoying her ride, Robin decided to take their dog for a spin on nearby roads to get some fresh air in the car. However, each time he used the site’s one-way entry and exit, he received a ticket.

After challenging the fines, he received a letter from Zip World stating that there were clear signs at the site’s entrance and throughout the car park. But Mr Lane, who is now retired, hit back: “Half the people must be blind if we are to believe what Zip World says about the signage. Numerous other people have fallen foul of this looks like a lot of us should have gone to Specsavers first. There aren’t any ‘have-you-paid-and-displayed’ warnings, neither are staff alerting visitors.”

He added: “This ‘experience” is one that has soured me so much that I will not be booking any more. I cannot understand how losing my revenue and probably that of many others will help their business.”

After his appeal was rejected, a disgruntled customer who had already reported the issue to BBC Watchdog has urged fellow Zip World users to boycott the company’s attractions until signage is improved. The new parking charges were introduced at Penrhyn and other locations this summer, with sites managed by Smart Parking via APNR cameras.

Complaints soon started pouring in on Tripadvisor and Trustpilot. One dad, who spent over £230 on activities at Zip World Betws-y-Coed for his three young daughters, was slapped with a £60 parking fine.

He said: “We have a caravan in the area and were looking forward to giving our kids some great experiences but this has changed all that. We will not be returning.”

Another dad was also hit with a fine. He said: “Totally ruined my son’s 21st birthday party.”

In response to complaints from locals, who often pop to Zip World sites just for a coffee, the company began issuing VIP cards.

A spokesperson said: “At Zip World, customer experience and satisfaction are our top priorities, and feedback is important to us. We are in the process of enhancing parking signage across all our sites and provide parking charge information on our product pages and booking confirmations.”

Under certain conditions, parking penalties may be dropped, they added: “In certain circumstances, we waive the fines if they have been issued due to a lack of signage. Customers are asked for their site location, date and time of arrival so that we can understand if there was sufficient parking signage on-site at the time.”

Not forgetting the locals, Zip World added: “We’d also like to take this opportunity to remind local residents that they can benefit from a VIP card, which offers free parking at our North and South Wales sites, along with discounts on food, adventures, and accommodation. Residents can claim their VIP cards by visiting our sites with proof of address.”

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