Wardens warned off ticketing Balmoral guests

PARKING wardens have been told not to ticket cars parked illegally by guests at The Balmoral Hotel.

Bosses at the hotel – where some rooms cost mroe than 500 a night – have complained about guests being handed 60 fines for parking on a single yellow line outside the hotel.

The law states that any car parked outside the hotel for more than five minutes is liable for a ticket.

However, council transport bosses have now handed control of the area in front of the hotel to concierges, and will only ticket cars if a vehicle is parked without their permission.

The area outside the hotel is mainly used by people arriving and leaving. The hotel is understood to use a nearby car park for overnight and long-stay parking.

A council spokesman said: "Parking restrictions in front of the Balmoral Hotel remain enforceable.

"But we have agreed to take a pragmatic approach to enforcement and work in partnership with the hotel concierges in an effort to better manage the area and facilitate the arrival and departure of hotel guests."

No one from the hotel was available to comment.