Lobby the NIA / B'ham Council?

Is it just me or does anyone think being charged to park cars yesterday is a bit of a rip off?

Just think - we've all worked bloody hard and taken time out to raise over £22,000 for StickItToMS, yet B'ham Council potentially earned 600 x £8 for parking at what would have otherwise been an empty space.

I think we should pressure them into giving at least some of the proceeds to the charity - anyone else agree?

Anyway, blinder of a day - once we all got to play in time together the sound of it was stunning. I stopped playing for a sec just to hear what the total sound was like. Oh. My. God!!!!

NeilNeilOrangepeel wrote:Is it just me or does anyone think being charged to park cars yesterday is a bit of a rip off?

Just think - we've all worked bloody hard and taken time out to raise over £22,000 for StickItToMS, yet B'ham Council potentially earned 600 x £8 for parking at what would have otherwise been an empty space.

I think we should pressure them into giving at least some of the proceeds to the charity - anyone else agree?

Anyway, blinder of a day - once we all got to play in time together the sound of it was stunning. I stopped playing for a sec just to hear what the total sound was like. Oh. My. God!!!!

Here Here, Just a small point, It may not be the council who run the car park, where i live the car parks are run indipendantly from the shopping malls and venues, so maybe the council need to badger the car park people, fair enough take out the attendants wages but put the profit into MS and join us in giving to a good cause.

Just being chatting to my wife about this who's raised a very valid point.

She recently completed one of the 'Race For Life' events at B'ham NEC, which I drove her to. Over 25,000 girls took part at that event, and I would make an assumption that most were driven there too owing to it's location. It was held on a circuit within the NEC grounds, and their security teams were part of the marshalling on the day.

Guess how much we had to pay to park (bearing in mind that if you go to a gig there, it's £8 a pop)?

That's right... NOTHING.

30-odd other Race For Life events have taken place, again without charges for parking.

Granted security & door staff need paying at the NIA, but other forms of revenue were doing well - the bar seemed to be doing a roaring trade, plus I would guess the room's hire was part of the Guitar/Drumfest rate for the three days which would go some way to paying staff rates.

Something's not right here. Come on NIA or B'ham Council - GIVE SOMETHING BACK!!

According to a car park attendant I spoke to on the Sunday it's the Council. Even he thought it was mean of them to make us pay after performing for Charity.
By the way nice to meet you Eric. Looked for you later on but couldn't find you mate. Cheers / Chris

Yes, it's definitely Council run and I wholeheartedly agree.