What's Llandudno Like Right Now?

[DaveR]

A large pine tree has blown down across the outside seating area in Haulfre Gardens Cafe.

Photo on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/noggerules/status/311134670500814848/photo/1

[Merddin Emrys]

Yes a very strong and bitter cold wind today as I found out taking these, I was almost blown over by the Grand!

[hollins]

Stunning photos ME.

[Blongb]

All the sand which was put on the North Shore earlier this week; up to two steps from the top; has been washed away and we now have eleven to twelve steps down to the beach exposed. Marvellous the power of the sea. Now if it would only do the same thing to those bl**dy stones............

[Merddin Emrys]

Stunning photos ME.

Thanks Hollins, my poor little pocket Nikon got covered in sea spray! All clean now!

[FatAndy]

Just received a Parking Charge Notice from Smart Parking for staying too long in Asda car park. Except I didn't, I went in at 12.17 for fuel and then went back later to do my shopping where they have me leaving at 16.47. They have obviously chosen to ignore the fact that i left after getting fuel and then re-entered later in the afternoon. Do they think that if they do this to enough people that might have gone in twice in one day that they will maybe scare one or two into paying up? Well they are not getting a penny from me. I would guess if I query it they will not have photo's of my car leaving the first time or entering the second time! 

You might want to read this - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4488003

I wouldn't bother appealing because I can tell you now that regardless of the evidence you can produce your appeal would be rejected, all Smart Parking are concerned about is scamming money off you.  Fortunately their charges are pretty much legally unenforceable so don't pay but do make sure that you tell all your friends and family about how Asda tried to extort money from you simply because you chose shop there and don't forget to tell the manager of Asda that from now on you'll be doing all your shopping in Tesco  .

[FatAndy]

It's also worth considering the Consumers' Association's advice on this: if you enter a car park with clearly indicated and defined conditions you are deemed to have accepted them.  If they then take you to court, they can also recover expenses.

They can claim a "reasonable pre-estimate of losses incurred".  As Asda's carpark is free then the lost incurred as a result of a motorist overstaying their welcome must be £0.00.  The "charge" Smart Parking quote is unforceable, as per section 5.1 (on page 40) of the Office Of Fair Trading guidance on unfair contract terms -  http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/unfair_contract_terms/oft311.pdf

This might explain why, according to figures obtained using a Freedom Of Information request, last year 1,800,000 parking charge notices were issued of which a grand total of 49 ended up in the Small Claims Court!

[Yorkie]

  Fortunately their charges are pretty much legally unenforceable so don't pay but do make sure that you tell all your friends and family about how Asda tried to extort money from you simply because you chose shop there and don't forget to tell the manager of Asda that from now on you'll be doing all your shopping in Tesco  .

But bear in mind that Tesco also have restricted parking time that is "enforced" by another money grabbing enterprise!   ZXZ

[FatAndy]

Do any of the local Tesco's have cowboys operating on their car parks?  I know about a year back my missus had to work in Tesco Abergele for a day and about a week later got a letter pointing out she'd stayed more than the allotted time and not to do it again but there was no attempt to extort £80 or whatever out of her.

Personally I tend to do my shopping at Morrisons these days, partly because it's cheap but mainly because I work in the Bay so it's convenient.  And there's no risk of being scammed as a reward for shopping there, you just have to put up with the minor irritation of those barriers instead.

[Nemesis]

Just checked my Asda bill as usual to see who was cheaper and Morrisons would have cost me just short of £10.00 more on my weekly shop

[FatAndy]

Just checked my Asda bill as usual to see who was cheaper and Morrisons would have cost me just short of £10.00 more on my weekly shop

How did you check this, not Asda Price Checker by any chance  .

And guess what, surpirse, surprise in today's Weekly News there's a story about Asda's cowboys attempting to extort £40 from a pensioner who committed the heinous act of shopping in Asda in Llandudno  .

Unfortunately the article is seriously let down by numerous references to a the man in question receiving a "fine".  SMART Parking (ironic name) cannot issue fines, no private company can issue a fine.  What they send out are little more than begging letters, albeit begging letters designed with the intention of misleading people into believing that they have some sort of legal standing and unfortunately Judith Phillips of the NWWN has fallen hook, line and sinker for the scam as well as the chap who recieved the fake "fine" in the first place  .

Still at least it's negative publicity of a sort for Asda and maybe if enough of these stories emerge in the future they might find a more ethical method of controlling the use of their carpark than by showing the complete disregard and lack of respect to their customers that they are showing at present.

[Nemesis]

Asda price guarantee-- I check my bill each week and some weeks I don't get a coupon, other times I have had as much as £7.00 off next week's bill. It's worth doing for the few minutes that it takes. Around Christmas you also got an extra £5 coupon if you spent over a certain amount.
Don't forget where I was born !!!!!

[Ian]

I concur - and thanks, N;  you've just reminded me to check yesterday's receipt, and we've got a voucher for £2.10.  We got a few £5.00 ones over Xmas and now Tesco is doing something similar, though I haven't yet figured out precisely how it works.

[FatAndy]

I concur - and thanks, N;  you've just reminded me to check yesterday's receipt, and we've got a voucher for £2.10.  We got a few £5.00 ones over Xmas and now Tesco is doing something similar, though I haven't yet figured out precisely how it works.

Those £5.00 vouchers from Tesco are usually only valid until the end of the following week so if you've got any left over from Christmas I'd check the dates before trying to use them.  Their current is offer is that is if you spend over £20 between 14th and 17th March you get a £5 voucher that you can use if you spend over £40 between 18th and 24th March.

http://www.tesco.com/groceries/zones/default.aspx?name=offer

Morrisons current offer is if you spend over £35 for three consecutive weeks you get £10 off in week 4.  This started last week so it's too late to join in now, unless anyone wants to make me an offer I can't refuse for my Week 1 voucher  .

[DaveR]

I see that large metal fences have been placed at two points outside Broadway Boulevard, presumably to keep people away from potential falling debris. The condition of the building (former Grand Theatre) has been causing concern for some time.