Sainsbury’s apologises for their mistake in reducing free parking from three to two hours at Ely - it’s now back to three hours

Sainsbury’s admitted that reducing parking times at their Ely store from three to two hours was a mistake and has been corrected.

Social media exploded with bewilderment earlier this week when a sign went up at the Lisle Lane supermarket stating that only two hours parking would be allowed and that ANPR cameras had been installed to police it.

According to some posts on Facebook a handful of shoppers – unaware of the changes- have received infringement penalty notices.

However a Sainsbury’s spokesman tweeted this week that “I’ve just confirmed with a colleague in store that the car park signage was incorrectly changed recently to indicate a new limit of two hours.

“The actual limit remains three hours however and the signage will be changed to reflect this soon.”

One customer said: “Every time I’ve been in Sainsbury’s cafe it’s been insanely slow getting the food and often very busy.

“People also use the outside part of the car park for Pocket Park (Ely Country Park) - and signs promoting the park are downstairs in the foyer at Sainsbury’s when you come in.

“It only takes an overdue eye appointment and a shopping trip, a busy cafe, slow kids or a park trip to very easily breach that two hour limit.

“My friend also thinks there was a clause when Sainsbury’s first opened saying that parking had to be three hours although I don’t know anything about that.”