Car park owner defends beauty spot charges

A car park owner has defended newly introduced charges at a Lake District beauty spot, saying they are needed to help his nearby businesses "survive".

The facility opposite the Kirkstone Pass Inn - Cumbria's highest pub - has traditionally been free, but fees were brought in last weekend.

Jerry Huppert said revenue from motorists would help avoid passing on rising operating costs to guests at the holiday lets he owns opposite the car park, or by increasing the rent he charges the leaseholder of the pub adjoining them.

Film-maker Terry Abraham, who visits the inn regularly, said it risked alienating visitors and accused Huppert of not having "love, care and affection for the area".

He said the "out of the blue" charges had caused "quite a bit of outrage".

"When this automatic number plate recognition was fixed to the side of the inn a couple of days ago and then signs went up, it shocked me as well as a lot of people locally and online.

"It's a money-grabbing exercise - we've all seen increasing aspects of commercialism coming into the Lake District and I find that very sad.

"It's been nice to see the investment [in the inn before it's reopening] because the historic part of the building was becoming run down, but I personally feel Mr Huppert doesn't have a love, care and affection for the history of lakeland."

With its steep gradient, Kirkstone Pass runs between Ambleside and Patterdale with the car park, inn and holiday lets about 1,480ft (450m) above sea level.

Huppert, a partner in a company trading as Supreme Escapes, bought the sites when they were put on the market in 2021.

His refurbishment of the holiday lets caused concern last year when they were advertised on a third party's website as "perfect for stag weekends".

He dismissed Abraham's criticisms, saying "costs have been rising through the roof".

"We understand it's a beauty spot, but there's no reason when you park there it should be free - we're no different to any other car park.

"We have to survive, utility bills and business rates have gone up along with wages and national insurance.

"We prefer to put those costs on to car park users rather than our holiday let customers or charge the brewery more for the lease of the inn."

Huppert said there had been a "mixed response" to the charges, which he left to the private operator to set.

They would work on a "smart system", going up or down depending on the day or season, he explained.

"We've said it should be fair and that it shouldn't be more than similar car parks.

"It's not to extort customers."

He said he hoped the fees would deter camper vans and caravans as they are often "parked inconsiderately" with litter left behind.

Mountain rescue teams who used the site during training exercises would be exempt from charges, Huppert added, as they would provide registration details in advance.

It was previously thought the Lake District National Park Authority had an agreement to lease the car park on a peppercorn rent until 2029.

However, it told the BBC that arrangement came to an end last month and so the organisation "no longer operates the car park on this site and is not involved in its upkeep or management".

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