I get annoyed when people are lead to believe its OK to park anywhere you want because some half wit on a website will tell you its OK and not to pay the fine.
Follow the rules and you don't get fined. If you insist on breaking the law expect to be fined.
If it's a Council car park, or perhaps one operated under National Park or Railway By-Laws, then yes, the law is broken. If it's private land, like a supermarket car park then it's a contractual dispute. The enforceability of the contract is governed by the Protection of Freedoms Act as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Beavis.
If you're sent an Parking Charge Notice for private land then it's an invoice under the contract as above. Arguably it is 'speculative' though that's probably not the word I'd use myself. You can ignore it, appeal it via the parking company's process or, in a case like this, try using goodwill via the store. In OP's case that would be my first choice.
It is reported that, since Beavis, the parking operators are much more bullish about using the small claims court. It's also reported that some small claim judges are fed up with having hopeless cases pursued by clueless defendants and are throwing the defences out lickety split.....
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