Spirit car clamping defeat forces rethink

by Claire Hu Spirit Group is looking at its policy on pub car parking control after being sued by a group of parents whose cars were clamped by an "over-zealous" firm while they picked up their children from school. The pub group has agreed to pay back fines to parents who parked at the Apollo, in Pinner Road, Harrow, Middlesex, following a case at Willesden County Court last week. Spirit has now cancelled its contract with the clamping company and is looking to introduce a new method of parking control, possibly ticketing, at the pub. The case raises questions about what action pubs can take to control non-customers who leave their cars on site, sometimes all day. The Apollo decided to hire the services of a car clamping firm after its car park was continually used by parents picking up children from a nearby school and commuters travelling into central London. Parent James Greig, who was one of those who took Spirit and the car clamping company to court, said: "Pubs can't wash their hands of what wheel clampers do. It hasn't exactly endeared the pub to the local community. We accept we were on their property but it was not good practice to suddenly change a practice of many years." Greig said the clampers demanded he leave his children in the car and go to a cashpoint to withdraw £200, saying: "Get the money or we'll tow it." The police eventually intervened and the clampers let him go after he paid £150. A group of parents, who were all clamped on one day in November last year, were reimbursed for their fines by Spirit after the court ruled the signage warning that it was private property was inadequate. A company spokeswoman said: "We agreed to settle and have since parted company with the car clamping company. We don't want to offend members of the local community but at the same time parking is reserved for clients. It's probably a case of the car clamping company being over-zealous and that is not something we want to be associated with." Law tightens A new law to be brought into force next summer will require every clamper to hold a Security Industry Association licence. Applicants found to have committed certain offences within the previous five years, such as assault or robbery, will automatically be barred from becoming clampers.