McDonalds in Petersfield has refused to accept any responsibility after a diabetic grandfather got a £100 parking ticket for visiting the drive through takeaway twice in one day.

The ticket was issued automatically from CCTV footage from cameras covering the drive through entrance and exit at the fast food restaurant off Winchester Road.

ParkingEye is a private company and manages the car park and says it’s very likely the parking ticket will be scrapped.

But McDonalds refused to offer sympathy, an apology or recompense to the distraught grandfather.

Ian Scates, of Waterlooville, was on his way to look after his granddaughters in Dunsfold while their parents went out to order carpets on Tuesday, November 24.

He said: “As a diabetic I have to keep my blood sugar levels up, and called into McDonalds in Petersfield to get some food from the drive through.

“I got it, and drove off, I was in there for about five minutes or so.

“Coming back I went in to get a cup of coffee at about 9pm and drove home.

“A few days later I got a parking ticket timed at 9.10pm.”

Mr Scates then called the fast food outlet and says the manager told him that the parking ticket was “not my problem.”

Ian, who says the £100 would come out of savings to buy Christmas presents for his grand children, then contacted McDonalds customer services.

He was told that no parking signs at the outlet clearly say drivers using the drive through can’t return in under four hours.

Apparently the reason for this is to stop taxi and van drivers using McDonalds car park as a base.

And while waiting there using the drive through for a regular ‘coffee call.’

A McDonalds spokesman said: “Our car parks are operated and managed by independent providers.

“We recommend the customer contacts the operator directly with any concerns they may have.”

When asked if the company felt it had any responsibility for Mr Scates plight, McDonalds didn’t respond.

And no explanation was offered to the responses from the franchise staff received by Mr Scates.

But with a completely different approach, a ParkingEye spokesman said: “ParkingEye is a member of the British Parking Association (BPA) and operate a fully audited appeals process, motorists with mitigating circumstances are encouraged to appeal.”

The spokesman added that if Mr Scates followed the appeal procedure it was more than likely under the circumstances the parking fine would be quashed.

He also said that incidents like this did happen, but very rarely, and that company was happy to review Mr Scates’ case.