This week on The Engaging Marketeer, I’ve got another one of those stories. You know, this just keeps on happening to me. But this is a brilliant example of a company that literally prints money. If you want a business idea that is going to generate money hand over fist and you don’t really have any overheads—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 center area. It has entertainment facilities, a Vue cinema, a Mega Bowl (or Super Bowl, whatever it’s called), and some restaurants like Frankie & Benny’s, Chiquito, and Las Iguanas. It also has car parks at the front and the back.
Now, unlike Cheshire Oaks, where you can park wherever you want without issues, The Coliseum’s car parks are monitored by a company called—let me double-check the name—Premier Park Limited. Premier Park Limited is a private company, not council- or government-owned, and it has three directors. The company is based in Exeter, Devon. The directors are Andy Parker, Paul Henson, and Paul Dawson—who, conveniently, is based on the Wirral, just around the corner from me. That will play a part in this podcast later on.
(02:12) This company operates car parks around the country, including The Coliseum. They take photographs of vehicles they believe are parked in a manner that allows them to issue fines—though they aren’t actually fines; they are invoices. Maybe you’re over the line, parked across two spaces, on a pavement, in a disabled bay without a badge, or not in a marked space. They photograph your car and send you a “fine” in the post.
Only it’s not a fine—it’s an invoice. They don’t have the authority to issue fines. But it looks like a fine, smells like a fine, and people fear it’s a fine, so they pay it.
This would be fine if they only targeted genuine parking violations. But they don’t. They take photos of cars that are a little bit too far out of a space—like they did to me last year. I parked my seven-seater Toyota Land Cruiser, a big vehicle, in a space. Because some spaces at The Coliseum have trees in between them, my car stuck out slightly. I couldn’t go further back without hitting a tree. Yet I received a fine from Premier Park Limited, claiming I was “over the lines.”
(04:22) Now, I was in between the lines perfectly. The problem? There was no front line. My car was sticking out slightly, but I wasn’t over any line. Their “fine” claimed otherwise. So, I disputed it. And, of course, they backed down. But they didn’t apologize or admit they were wrong. Instead, they said, “On this occasion, we will cancel the fine.”
I let it go. I had other things to focus on. But I wish I had taken it further—because they’ve done it again.
(05:28) Just last week, I went to The Coliseum again—the most dangerous place in Ellesmere Port to park. I parked carefully to avoid another issue. This time, my car was fully in a space, backed up against a wall. But my back wheels overhung the curb slightly. This curb isn’t big enough for a pram, a wheelchair, or even for someone to comfortably walk past.
Today, I received another fine, claiming I had engaged in “obstructive parking.” Obstructing what? It’s not a pavement. It’s barely wide enough for a person. Yet I got a parking charge notice for £100. But, in the goodness of their hearts, they reduce it to £60 if I pay within 14 days. If I don’t, it increases to £170 if they “have to take legal action.”
(07:20) This is classic extortion. “Pay now and it’s cheaper. Delay, and it costs more.” And people do pay—lots of them. I looked up Premier Park Limited’s accounts on Companies House. In 2023, they made £9.1 million in revenue. That’s right—£9.1 million from parking charge notices.
Because they had retained profits from previous years, they paid their directors £7 million in dividends in 2023. That’s £7 million of motorists’ money, extracted through fear and misleading invoices.
(10:47) The real disappointment? The Coliseum, run by The Crown Estate, allows this to happen. These companies allow Premier Park Limited to operate and fleece their customers. And they aren’t just targeting those parked illegally; they go after everyone—anyone parked too close to a line, too far into a space, or even just slightly overhanging a curb.
Well, I’m not having it.
I’ve called them out on social media. My LinkedIn post has nearly 8,000 impressions already. And it’s growing. I am making this go big. I’m taking these people on because this is wrong.
(12:41) You may have heard in a recent podcast—I hate bullies. I hate scammers. And these people are ripping motorists off. They tried it on me last year and backed down. Now, they’re trying again. And I’ve warned them—push this further, and you’ll regret it.
I have a track record of exposing scams. I’ve taken on Yodel and the Child Support Agency—both campaigns got national media attention. I don’t back down.
(14:33) If you’ve received a parking charge from Premier Park Limited that felt unfair, let me know. Have you paid out of fear? Were you threatened with legal action? This is how they make their money.
In 2023, their revenue increased from £5.8 million to £9.1 million. Their gross profit margin? 69.7%. That’s how lucrative this scam is.
(17:22) So, I challenge the directors—Andy Parker, Paul Henson, and Paul Dawson. Come on this podcast. Defend yourselves. Explain why you do what you do. Justify the £7 million you paid yourselves in dividends. Explain why you send people invoices when they aren’t illegally parked.
I doubt they’ll respond. But the invitation is there.
You’ve been listening to The Engaging Marketeer. I’ll catch you on the next episode.
