Couple's fury over fast food clamping

Standards officers to investigate.

Stephen and Ann Davies, of Mill Hill Drive, Sandbach, are angry that their car was clamped even though Mrs Davies had purchased food from the restaurant.

Mrs Davies bought the food to take away on October 14, placing the meal inside the car parked on McDonalds car park.

Private tutor Mr Davies, aged 60, said: "She then crossed the road to collect a prescription from the surgery.

"In the few minutes that she was away from the car park her car was clamped.

"She spoke to the wheel clamper and explained that she was a customer and showed the purchased food to prove it.

"But the wheel clamper refused to release the car and demanded a fine of £70 - which is £15 more than

my wife's weekly state pension."

The couple wrote to McDonalds requesting a refund of the cash but have so far not received the money.

Mr Davies added: "Our view is that my wife has committed no offence. Her car was parked there for less time than if she had eaten the meal in the restaurant or in the car itself.

"We have now contacted Trading Standards who have said they will investigate the incident."

Mike Charles, who owns the Sandbach franchise, responded: "We unfortunately have had to adopt this policy in recent weeks due to excessive abuse of the parking facility by persons not visiting the restaurant.

"For some months we have displayed numerous signs stating that the car park is solely for the use of

customers.

"Drivers who have left their cars and walked either into the health centre or into the town centre have

basically ignored these signs."

He said that the situation became so bad that a clamping company was employed, adding that he could not refund the money as the fine was made by the clamping firm.

He added: "I have no desire to charge members of the community this levy and in fact I shall be speaking to the clamping company to allow a ten-minute discretionary period for those purely wishing to collect prescriptions."