IN REGARDS to the news story on page 7 of the 18/3 issue of the paper, please don’t call them parking ticket fines as they are merely invoices with no legal standing.

I used to do my shopping in Lidl (average £45 a week) but also used the car park to do business in the town centre (as Lidl doesn’t sell everything).

Since the new restrictions not allowing you to leave site (not even to use the toilets) I’ve changed to Asda as it allows me to do everything without shifting my car.

Lidl has shot themselves in the foot hiring in a private parking contractor rather than keeping the council (whose replacement car park isn’t big enough as it’s full of commuters due to the ongoing works at Andover station).

D Sheppard, Grateley

REGARDING the complaints about Lidl’s car park, I parked my car in the car park at 7.30am – store not open but I was going swimming first and then pop in to shop on my way back. Looking around the car park – every single car had a yellow parking ticket on the windscreen.

There was a man in the security van very clearly watching to see if I parked – he then went and parked in a corner of the car park. I stopped and re-read the parking signs which stated 90 minutes parking but customers must not leave the premises.

So I went elsewhere and parked.

On walking past the shop on the way to the leisure centre – store still not open. Lidl staff were outside the main door having a cigarette laughing with the car park security firm and talking about the parking.

I really felt quite sad that Lidl would take a huge advantage of its potential customers when the store was not open. Is this why Lidl profits are increasing by collecting parking revenue? Clearly this was an easy target for Lidl – not many people around and the store closed.

So when the store is closed the car park should also be.

They could install a barrier if they are so bothered with people parking in a nice empty car park. I do hope that all the people who received tickets will not have to pay any parking fines.

Name supplied

MY NEIGHBOUR also got a ticket on the Lidl car park last week, for daring to pop into the Chantry Centre after doing her Lidl shop.

Well it has backfired – she’s vowing never to shop there again, so they’ve lost her custom. Aldi opens on Weyhill Road in a few months so I suspect many Lidl shoppers will simply shift their loyalties (and pounds) there.

Angie Boorman, Andover