Limerick City Parking: Q-Park Harvey’s Quay increase prices by 26%!

Posted 13 Oct 2009 in Limerick , Rant | 3 Comments

I haven’t been shopping in Limerick City for a few months now.  I really like heading in, but I find that parking is a problem.  Both finding parking and paying for it when there is loads of free parking at all the out of town centres.

On Saturday morning I decided to head into the city centre with my daughter to do a few bits and pieces and sit down and have a coffee / hot chocolate together.  We had a lovely morning, enjoyed the atmosphere, looked at the Christmas display in Brown Thomas and had our few treats in the coffee shop.  We had arrived at 9.40am and were leaving just before 1pm.  I had parked in one of my ‘regular’ car parks – Q Parking at Harvey’s Quay, the one over Dunnes.

I put my parking ticket in the machine and had a fiver in my hand, which is roughly what I usually pay for a few hours parking.  I thought I may have to dig out a couple of coins on top of the fiver, but was not expecting to be asked for €9.20.   So I buzzed down to reception and told them there seemed to be a problem with the ticket machine.  He told me to come down to him and he would sort it out.  When I got there however he explained that that was the price.  That they have introduced a new pricing system.

ME: “You have increased your prices by a large margin in the middle of a recession?”

HIM: “It’s actually cheaper now for short periods.  Our reseach has shown that lots of business users use this carpark and would like the ability to pay by the quarter hour.”

ME: “I don’t know who conducts their business in 15 minutes. It takes 5 mins to get out of this place.  The price has shot up for me and I’m really not happy about it.”

HIM: “Did you not see the prices?”

ME: “No.  They are not displayed at the entrance of the carpark.  They are only displayed at the parking meter.  It’s too late then.”

HIM: “Lots of people are happy with the new pricing.”

ME:  “I find that very hard to believe.”

At this stage a woman gets out of her car at the barrier, waving her ticket and shrieking at him.

WOMAN:  “I’m only here two hours!!”

So just a little warning.  Q Parking now charge per €0.60 per 15 minutes for the first 3 hours, supposedly to accommodated their many business users who are apparently able to conduct their business in a much more timely manner than I can!  Pricing reverts to €2 hourly after the first 3 hours.  Cornmarket Square charges a more reasonable €1.50 per hour.

In April, Limerick City Council orchestrated a major push to encourage people back into the city centre shops.  This was widely supported by the local radio and print media. It is a well known fact that Limerick City parking prices and availability are strangling city retail at the moment.  When the price that car parks charge affects footfall in the city it is time for Limerick City Council to intervene on a more longterm and meaningful basis.

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Irish Web Awards 2009: A Great Night.

Posted 12 Oct 2009 in Activate , Events | 2 Comments

Congrats to Count Me Out on winning the Best Social Media Campaign at the Irish Web Awards on Saturday night!  A worthwhile winner and great to see a smaller budget make such a big impact.  See the full list of winners here.

The evening itself was greatly enjoyed by myself and my client Joanne Grehan of LookWest.ie.  Compliments to Damien Mulley for organising it and Rick O Shea for presenting with such style.  The focus was on fun and informality.  The giant bags of all things ‘crispy’  (e.g. Wagon Wheels, Taytos, Chickadees, Onion Rings) and the t-shirts  thrown by Rick  into the audience caused much swapping and passing along.  I didn’t see any fights, but I can’t vouch for what went on behind me.

I can also reveal here that there was almost a Kanyeesque moment.  Sitting half way down the room, as the shortlist for the Best Practice website was announced, I spied a screen shot of what I thought was my brother’s website.  My brother however had texted me a few hours earlier asking if I fancied joining him for few bevvies.  So I thought that  we had a situation whereby he was shortlisted and didn’t know about it.  I wondered what would happen if  his website won.  Should I go up on stage and accept the award on his behalf?  I texted my brother “What is name of your cars website” (yes I know I am a bad sister for not remembering).  Before I got an answer CarsIreland.ie was announced as the winner.  I scanned the room and initially didn’t see any takers.  I steeled myself for walking right up there and making some excuse for my brother.  I looked around one last time for good measure and saw the rightful owner of the award making his way to the podium.  Stage invasion narrowly averted!  My brother says CarsIreland.ie were worthy winners of the award by the way, but he thinks an invasion of the stage would have been a great guerilla marketing campaign for his site.

I got the opportunity to meet loads of people with whom I’ve communicated via Twitter but never met.  Sabrina Dent, the offer of a meal,  bed and lift from station was geniune, I will get in touch.  Joe Scanlon amazingly remembered that I threatened a sulk if he didn’t make good on his promise to link to my blog.  It worked well and I’m wondering if sulking as part of my overall link-building strategy has legs to it. It was  lovely to meet Damien Mulley and I was very encouraged by his words about the LookWest campaign.  I also met @IDAIreland who very deservedly won the Best Government & Council Website category.

At some silly hour of the night I found myself heading home in a taxi with many packets of tayto stuffed inside my handbag.  The taxi driver was very appreciative of a late night snack.  I myself placed a packet of Chickadees beside my pillow.  You wouldn’t want to be overcome by hunger in the middle of the night.

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