MY family and I have returned from a week's holiday in your area, staying just outside Callington.
We had a very nice week, the weather turned hot on Monday and stayed fine all week. We availed ourselves of everything your area has to offer, golf and go-karting for myself and son, endless shopping for my wife and daughter (Trago Mills now a home from home) and pleasant evening walks for my brother-in-law and our dogs ( yes, we do clean up after them, just as we do at home!).
As we were self-catering we ate out when we could and purchased all other foodstuffs locally.
However we will not be returning. Ever. Why?
We decided that even though we were just outside Tavistock we hadn't really shopped there so decided to spend a couple of hours in the town, drove in, paid for two hours in the supermarket car park and set off.
We discovered all the local shops, the pannier market, where we browsed happily, talked to one of the ladies running one of the stalls and the little cafe in the forecourt of the market with its friendly young staff, and returned to the car to find that we'd incurred a fixed penalty charge of £60 (reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days).
Yes we knew we'd gone over, but the car park wasn't busy and neither was the town particularly, and as I've never let a bill run in my life we went straight round to the civic offices and paid the bill. The lady who took my money was pleasant enough but couldn't do anything.
I spent my formative years on the Isle of Wight and like most young people regarded 'overners' as a pain, only later realising they bought much needed cash to the island, much like the South West I should imagine!
A quick glance at the tax disc would have shown we were tourists on holiday and perhaps a sliding charge would be incurred.
We spent well over £1,000 hard earned holiday money in the week, not including the accommodation charge.
In future myself and family will holiday elsewhere and spend our money there.
John Boyd-Brown
6 Pine Court
Wraysbury Park Drive
Emsworth
Hants PO10 7UU