A GOLBORNE landlord has called time on shoppers parking on his pub land.

Licensee of the Sir Charles Napier, Dave Reece has brought in a car clamping outfit to trap drivers who leave their vehicles on a piece of ground next to the High Street hostelry.

But local residents, who claim they have parked there for at least 35 years, are up in arms over the "legalised extortion ".

They allege a clamper is sitting all day at the site, which can accommodate eight cars, waiting for unsuspecting shoppers to leave, then jumping out and locking on the boot.

One victim, Mrs Pauline Naylor, of Lowton, is livid that a three minute stay at the site cost her a £50 release fee.

She said: "I left my car on the land that has been used by the public for the 24 years I have lived here.

"I crossed to my bank, used my card and was out of the car for approximately three minutes. When I returned it had been demoblised.

"The 'gentleman' who clamped me had been sitting in his car on the car park waiting for drivers to pull up. He pointed out that on the wall behind me, on the other side of the car park, there were some clamping signs, not at eye level, but way above head height. "I feel the landlord and the company are deliberately setting out to defraud the public, the signs are only on one side of the car park, the side that is not on view as you pull in.

"I would never knowlingly park in a wheel clamping area. I parked there because it is illegal to stop outside the bank as there are double yellow lines and I did not want to attract a fixed penalty fine of £20. Instead it cost me £50.

"I think it is improper of the company to have their operators sitting waiting for unwitting drivers to come along."

One casualty said: "This land has been used by local people for at least 35 years, especially by older and infirm drivers as it is near the shops."

"I put a bet on in the local betting shop and then I was going into the Napier for a drink, but I had already been clamped and the operator did not believe me, so I had to pay £50. That's the last time I drink in that pub."

Landlord Mr Reece said: "I can't understand what their problem is. I have dray wagons coming to the pub and they can't park because of these illegally parked cars. Anyway there's a massive car park not 10 yards away.

"The spaces are for my customers, not for people parking on and going to buy cheap beer from somewhere else. It's not on.

"How would they like me to go and park on the forecourt of their homes? They wouldn't, and it's just the same."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.