This week on The Engaging Marketeer, I’ve got another one of those stories. You know, this just keeps happening to me, but it is a brilliant example of a company that literally prints money. If you want a business idea that generates money hand over fist, with hardly any overheads, where all you have to do is send people invoices and they pay them out of fear—this is the business for you.
So, what’s happened now?
Last year, I was at the Coliseum in Ellesmere Port. For those who don’t know, it’s next to Cheshire Oaks, but it’s not actually part of Cheshire Oaks. The Coliseum is a shopping and entertainment area—it’s got a Vue cinema, a Mega Bowl (or Super Bowl, whatever it’s called), and restaurants like Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquito, and Las Iguanas. It’s got car parks at the front and back, but unlike Cheshire Oaks, where you can park freely without issue, the Coliseum has its parking monitored by a company called Premier Park Limited.
Now, Premier Park Limited is not council-owned, not government-owned, not an official body—it’s a private company based in Exeter, Devon. It has three directors: Andy Parker, Paul Henson, and Paul Dawson. Interestingly, Paul Dawson is based in the Wirral, just around the corner from me, which will play a role in this story later.
This company photographs vehicles in car parks and sends out fines—or rather, invoices. They don’t actually have the authority to issue fines, but they make them look like fines. People see them, believe they are legitimate, and pay them out of fear.
Now, if this company was only targeting cars that were clearly obstructing or breaking parking rules—like parking across two spaces, on pavements, or in disabled bays without a badge—that would be one thing. But that’s not what they do.
Last year, they issued me a fine—sorry, an invoice—because my car, a seven-seater Toyota Land Cruiser, was slightly sticking out of a parking space. The reason? Some of the spaces at the Coliseum have trees planted between them, making them shorter than standard spaces. My car wouldn’t fit all the way in without hitting the tree, so a small part of it stuck out the front.
Premier Park Limited sent me an invoice claiming I was over the lines. But I wasn’t. The side lines? I was within them. The front? There was no line to cross. Yet they still claimed I was in violation.
I disputed it, of course. I wrote back saying, “There are no lines at the front, so how can I be over them?” They backed down and canceled the charge—but without admitting they were wrong. Instead, they said, “On this occasion, we will cancel the fine.” No apology. No acknowledgment that they were incorrect.
I let it go at the time. I had other things to focus on. But I wish I had taken it further. Because guess what? They’ve done it again.
Just this week, I was back at the Coliseum. I parked carefully, making sure I didn’t stick out. My car was against a wall, with my wheels up against the curb, neatly in the space. However, the back of my car slightly overhung the curb. Now, this curb isn’t a pavement—it’s not wide enough for a pram, a wheelchair, or even for a person to comfortably walk.
Today, I received another parking charge notice. The reason? “Obstructive Parking.” Obstructing what, exactly? That tiny curb? It’s not a pedestrian walkway! Yet they sent me an invoice for £100. But, in their generosity, they offered to reduce it to £60 if I paid within 14 days. And if I ignored it, they threatened to increase it to £170.
This is classic extortion. People panic. They think, “I don’t want to pay £100, but £60 isn’t as bad. I better pay it quickly.” Others worry about the £170 threat and just give in. And that’s how they make their money.
How much money are they making?
I looked up Premier Park Limited’s financials on Companies House because, well, that’s the kind of person I am. Their 2023 accounts show they earned £9.1 million in revenue. That’s a massive jump from £5.8 million in 2022.
Even more infuriating? Their gross profit margin is 69.7%, and they paid themselves £7 million in dividends in 2023. Seven million pounds of motorists’ money, extracted through fear and misleading tactics.
Who allows this to happen?
It’s bad enough that Premier Park Limited operates this way, but what’s worse is that shopping centers like the Coliseum—run by the Crown Estate—allow them to do it. Why would they let a private company harass their customers? These businesses rely on people coming to shop, eat, and go to the cinema. If parking at the Coliseum means risking a bogus fine, people will go elsewhere.
I’ve posted about this on LinkedIn, tagging these individuals, and the post is gaining traction. At the time of recording, it has nearly 8,000 impressions, and it’s only going to grow. I will make this issue big because I won’t stand for people being scammed like this.
I despise bullies and scammers—whether it was my past work against Yodel’s poor service or the campaign against the Child Support Agency, I’ve taken on these fights before, and I’ve won. I intend to do the same here.
My challenge to Premier Park Limited
To Andy Parker, Paul Henson, and Paul Dawson—I invite you to come onto this podcast and defend your actions. Explain why you do what you do. Explain where that £7 million went. Explain why you’re targeting motorists for minor or non-existent violations.
I don’t think they’ll take me up on it. I suspect they’ll stay quiet. But the invitation stands.
If you’ve ever received one of these parking charge notices and paid it because you thought it was a fine, because you were scared of legal action, or because you were threatened with an increased charge—know this: you didn’t have to pay it.
Premier Park Limited made £9.1 million last year from people like you. Their entire business model relies on deception and intimidation. And it needs to stop.
Check out my LinkedIn post, follow me, share your stories, and let’s take these people on together.
You’ve been listening to The Engaging Marketeer. I’ll catch you on the next episode.
About your host:
Darren has worked within digital marketing since the last century, and was the first in-house web designer for video games retailer GAME in the UK, known as Electronics Boutique in the States. After co-founding his own agency, Engage Web, in 2009, Darren has worked with clients around the world, including Australia, Canada and the USA.
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/engaging-marketeer/id1612454837
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenjamieson/
Engaging Marketeer: https://engagingmarketeer.com
Engage Web: https://www.engageweb.co.uk
