A dated shopping centre that pushed me over the edge with their appalling parking policies. Go a few minutes further (depending on your location ) to two far superior centres (with proper parking policies) across the road from each other in Blackrock.
I have been shopping here for years due simply to the convenience of underground parking, a large tesco and a decent pharmacy (apart from that, and their proximity to St. Vincents, they have a lot of work to do to be described as a decent shopping centre). I was recently so appalled at their treatment of a regular customer, that I haven't shopped there since and am unlikely to again.
The centre complains of difficulties with people visiting St Vincents Hospital using their carpark. I get that, they want to ensure they have enough spaces for their regular customers. Much appreciated by me, a regular customer until now. However they have recently adopted a 'zero tolerance' policy if visitors leave the shopping centre.....at all......even to get some air, god forbid you should need it. You will be clamped if you leave the shopping centre at all (smokers....you'd better quit if you want to shop here).
My mother recently had the misfortune of a trip to A&E (luckily she was ok). I parked in the Merrion Centre, and went over to make sure she was checked in etc., before returning 50 MINUTES later to do my shopping and hers. I returned to my car to get some bags, and found it clamped. I contacted Euro Carparks who manage the carpark and was told that I was "caught on CCTV leaving the shopping centre", and that there was nothing they could do as they were only enforcing the policies of the shopping centre. Apparently there is absolutely no time limit, if you leave the shopping centre at all, your car is imprisoned. I don't appreciate being treated like a criminal because, for first time since I can remember, I left the centre for a short time before doing my shopping (I didn't in the end as I was too furious at that stage).
This policy is ridiculous, and they're treating their customers with utter contempt, as if doing you a favour by letting you shop there. Why they don't adopt the same policy of 'shop and get your ticket validated' as practically every other supermarket / shopping centre in the country, escapes me. They are also missing one major point which is that St Vincents Hospital is generating a huge amount of their footfall. I should also add that when I contacted the centre through social media (as they don't do email or phone), I was treated like an idiot and told that I should contact Euro Carparks to "review my case", those who told me they were only enforcing the policies of the centre.
Well done Merrion Shopping Centre, you've lost a number of previously loyal "lifers" through your treatment of me, and I hope that trend continues until you have the sense to manage your carpark properly. read more