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Gatwick Parking

London, United...
Level Contributor
12 posts
359 reviews
245 helpful votes
Gatwick Parking
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Hi, Has anyone heard of a company called firstchoiceparking.co.uk?

They have a meet and greet parking service from Gatwick which their online booking says costs £56 for 2 weeks (14 to 28th. May, Gatwick south terminal). That seems too cheap to be true.

Does anyone know about them or used them, please?

Thanks.

1. Re: Gatwick Parking

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Salisbury, United...
Level Contributor
17,829 posts
141 reviews
95 helpful votes
2. Re: Gatwick Parking
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IMHO it is a risk handing over your car at an airport to someone I don't know. Would I do the same at my local shopping centre? No, so I wouldn't do it at an airport.

But I have no knowledge of this company, they don't say where the car will be parked. Looking at Google Earth Gatwick Road is an industrial road and difficult to say if there is a secure parking lot. They say it's council registered maybe you could check, their web site is pretty basic. Are the drivers insured?

There have been many reports of cars being parked in streets and drivers not having insurance.

For me, I always use a car park listed on the official airport web site or I use Holiday Extras. I prefer to park my car so that I know where it is and that it's safe. Just my opinion, only you can decide if it's worth the risk.

Portland, Oregon
Level Contributor
37,406 posts
7 reviews
16 helpful votes
3. Re: Gatwick Parking
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This company is very new - incorporated in September 2011. But they are "legitimate" in that they are registered at Companies House. You can go to this page and search with their ID 07769539 - http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/toolsToHelp/WCInfo.shtml

That said, their website is written in rather poor English, which indicates a small company and doing things on the cheap. And for such a new company the claims of being "the preferred choice when parking at Gatwick Airport" is way OTT.

Probably one to avoid right now, at least until/if they get themselves a good reputation.

Cala d'Or, Spain
Level Contributor
4,293 posts
112 reviews
135 helpful votes
4. Re: Gatwick Parking
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Would I hand this company my car keys for two weeks - No, not at any price.

London, United...
2 posts
5. Re: Gatwick Parking
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I tried this company for meet and greet parking service last month, I am very much satisfied with the services, I asked them why they are offering their services so cheap, they said they don't pay any brokers and they are providing the services directly. Before choosing this service I did my research and I found out that majority of other service providers are expensive.

UK
Level Contributor
968 posts
13 reviews
18 helpful votes
6. Re: Gatwick Parking
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Very strange that Mathew B has 2 posts, both recommending this meet and greet service, I am sure it is just a coincidence!!!!

Reading
Level Contributor
294 posts
23 reviews
14 helpful votes
7. Re: Gatwick Parking
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The use of English doesn't quite suggest a "Mathew" either. Indeed I am being slightly wary of this gentleman's particularities.

What would paying brokers have to do with a parking service? Does it mean they are parked in public somewhere?

west wales
Level Contributor
36 posts
6 reviews
26 helpful votes
8. Re: Gatwick Parking
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We have just returned from Antigua to Gatwick South terminal and used Maple Manor meet and greet, fantastic company and very efficient, booked through Holiday Extras coupled with Holiday Inn overnight stay.

london
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1 post
22 reviews
7 helpful votes
9. Re: Gatwick Parking
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I would not use Maple Manor. I was met by a very nice man at 5am in the morning who asked if I wanted to have a valet done whilst away. I thought why not. Well I was supposed to pay £26.95 but refused when the car arrived as it had birds mess on both windows and doors. The guy delivering the car just shrugged his shoulders. I said the most I would pay was £20 so he said I needed to call the main number and speak to the office (his English was poor). The woman I spoke to (also had poor English) said that the valet was done the day before and that they couldn't do anything about it. I said that they should be embarrassed to send a car out with such mess on it and charge for a valet. The woman said that I should just pay £25 ie, £1.95 off the price. My response was that they had to be joking. The woman told me that I should find it easier enough to just wipe off the mess...I obviously advised that I thought that this is what they should do. I was then told that the problem was that my own as my flight was late getting in by an hour which is my mind was totally irrelevant. Therefore use with caution.

London, United...
Level Contributor
4 posts
107 reviews
77 helpful votes
10. Re: Gatwick Parking
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Hi - used First Choice Parking twice (http://www.firstchoiceparking.co.uk)

First time, fine - no issues that we were aware of (ie - higher mileage on the car etc).

Second time - for 3 nights, collecting the car yesterday (4 July). Came back to discover my IPod Classic (locked in the glove compartment) was stolen. Its not valuable, just annoying and there was no reason for anyone to go in there. I've made a crime report to the police, requested the car glove box be finger printed and contacted the company and suggest they return it to me.

I've checked them out on companies house (co ref 07769539) - and posted on their own website blog (I doubt that will make it up there!)

My advice to anyone using any car parking company (collection or not) - ABSOLUTELY NOTE DOWN YOUR MILEAGE, and DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING (even CDs etc) IN YOUR CAR.

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