'We paid £300 for Zip World rides and got £100 fine for using their car park'

One man received two parking tickets after booking his 70th birthday Penrhyn experience from Zip World's Betws-y-Coed forest site
-Credit: (Image: Eirian Evans/Wiki)


Reviews for several Zip World attractions have nosedived after parking fees were introduced. Dozens of visitors have complained of being fined.

Users have described how birthday parties and celebrations have been ruined by a “stealth tax” on visitors – a £60 ticket rising to £100 if not paid quickly. Everyone fined said they failed to see parking signs and insisted they would willingly have paid fees that range from £3-£6.

A man and his partner were hit with two £100 tickets after calling at Zip World in Betws-y-Coed to book Zip World’s Velocity zip line at Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda, for his 70th birthday. “Was going to North Wales to have another ride but will never use this company again,” he said.

READ MORE: Man who sat on railway track 'for a giggle' unlawfully killed friend, court told

READ MORE: Family devastated after being told to close one of Wales' best known cafes

Zip World said parking fees were introduced so that the company could manage rising costs while investing in sites and services. The company said parking signs are displayed and parking fees are outlined in booking confirmations. Yet awareness among visitors appears to be low. One woman described how she received a £100 fine, plus a £40 fine from her car rental company for administration costs.

Another saw the cost of her £300 day-out rise to £400, labelling her parking fine an “absolute disgrace”. She added: “Never have I ever paid over £300 for a fun day-out to be fined £100 for using their customer car park. Will not return... this is a disgraceful way to treat paying guests who have travelled miles to enjoy the experience.”

Zip World enthusiast Robin Lane from Northwich, Cheshire, was twice fined the same day at Penrhyn Quarry – once for taking his dog out for a ride while waiting for his partner. She been given a Red Letter Days experience to try out Penrhyn’s Quarry Kart experience, leaving Robin in the cafe.

While waiting, he nipped back to the car to give their dog a spin on nearby roads to reintroduce fresh air to the car. Each time he used the site's one-way entry and exit, and so received two tickets. After contesting them, he received a letter from Zip World saying a prominent sign was at the site’s entry and several others within the car park. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now

Visitors love the experiences, such as the world's fastest zip line at Penrhyn quarry, but are appalled at the way new parking fees are being managed
Visitors love the experiences, such as the world's fastest zip line at Penrhyn quarry, but are appalled at the way new parking fees are being managed -Credit:Zip World

Mr Lane, who is retired, said: “Half the people must be blind if we are to believe what Zip World says about the signage. Numerous other people have fallen foul of this – looks like a lot of us should have gone to Specsavers first. There aren’t any 'have-you-paid-and-displayed' warnings, neither are staff alerting visitors.

“This ‘experience” is one that has soured me so much that I will not be booking any more. I cannot understand how losing my revenue and probably that of many others will help their business.”

Having already reported the matter to BBC Watchdog, after his appeal was rejected, he’s called on fellow Zip World users to boycott the company’s attractions until signage is improved. The new parking charges were introduced at Penrhyn and elsewhere this summer. Sites are managed by Smart Parking via APNR cameras.

Soon after, complaints began flowing onto Tripadvisor and Trustpilot. A dad paid more that £230 on activities at Zip World Betws-y-Coed for his three young girls, only to receive a £60 parking fine. He said: “We have a caravan in the area and were looking forward to giving our kids some great experiences but this has changed all that. We will not be returning.”

A regular cafe customer found himself penalised, so did a family who visit once a year to buy clothes and have a meal. A large family group who visited in two vehicles, spending “several hundred pounds”, received two tickets.

Another dad was also clobbered. He said: “Totally ruined my son’s 21st birthday party."

A parking sign at Zip World's Penrhyn Quarry site in Bethesda
A parking sign at Zip World's Penrhyn Quarry site in Bethesda -Credit:Draig Wen

In response to complaints from local people, who often pop to Zip World sites just for a cup of coffee, the company began issuing VIP cards. These give everyone in Wales – other than those with SY postcodes – free parking and discounts on rides, food and accommodation. Initially, only a limited number of cards were released, with future availability depending on demand.

Zip World said it had been listening to its customers. A spokesperson said: “At Zip World, customer experience and satisfaction are our top priorities, and feedback is important to us. We are in the process of enhancing parking signage across all our sites and provide parking charge information on our product pages and booking confirmations.

“In certain circumstances, we waive the fines if they have been issued due to a lack of signage. Customers are asked for their site location, date and time of arrival so that we can understand if there was sufficient parking signage on-site at the time.

“We’d also like to take this opportunity to remind local residents that they can benefit from a VIP card, which offers free parking at our North and South Wales sites, along with discounts on food, adventures, and accommodation. Residents can claim their VIP cards by visiting our sites with proof of address.” Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox

Find family activities near you