This is one of the directors of Capital2Coast Security and he clamps vehicles which are sometimes illegally parked in Eastgate Wharf , Lewes.
The clamping is carried out on behalf of Cheval Properties, London.
If you have ever had dealings with this gentleman (his name is Gavin Price), do please let me know in the Comments Box below. I am especially interested in your story if you have been clamped on a Sunday.
CLICK HERE for photos and I would appreciate any clamping photos that you have. Just email them to me.
If you prefer to email your story, it is spygun@gmail.com. If you would like me to call you to be interviewed please let me have your contact details by email.
February 19th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I recognise that man in the photo. He is a bully and very rude. He pretends that he is talking on the phone a lot. I’ve heard him give out his home adress to people who have threatened him. I am at the sale most weeks and don’t think that I have ever seen a delivery lorry but I have seen crowds of people gathered around the clamper in the hat. He has caused more obstruction than any parked cars and that Cheval company who he works for are obviously just interested in the money. Nothing to do with trafic flow.
February 19th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
The clamping problem in Lewes is not new and has been reported on several occasion in the last few years.
Here is a link to an article by Norman Baker MP in the Dail Mail: http://bit.ly/pv7IF
February 19th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
These morons work in pairs. They have one hanging round the Sunday market and as soon as he sees someone park, he notifies the knuckle-dragger in the photo by phone who clamps the vehicle. Just outside the market (the NCP Car Park) which is where the car in the Sussex Express looks as if it is parked, they allow cars with blue badges to park. They act as an excellent decoy for other cars which are then clamped. Apparently, they make hundreds of pounds every Sunday morning. It is not the police who normally arrive but those “hobby bobbies” or Community Policemen who are totally helpless and useless. They seem to clamp a lot of people from out of town. I once saw a clamped car which had a young woman with a baby,and two other children. The wife was crying, the baby was screaming and the moron in the photo was just standing there waiting for his money. The lady looked as if she would not have that sort of money or even a credit card. Cheval peoperies must be making a fortune. I see that in the newspaper article they are claiming that they do not make a penny so all that they are really doing is providing a job creation scheme for Lurch and his friend.
February 19th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
It’s about time someone said something nice about these clampers……….Only kidding but they are doing nothing illegal. I heard that the clamper in the photo – Gavin Price, used to be on Facebook but received so much abuse that he is probably there under another name by now. They say that he used to brag about how much money he was making and how he was taking a lot in cash which only he knew about. Sometimes, he has accepted less than the specified amount – in cash and no ticket or receipt. His partner is someone called Matt. Cheval MUST be on a rake-off because it really is no skin off their nose to stop this madness on a sunday. The Waitrose manager is quite relaxed about deliveries and he is the one Cheval properties say they are helping by keeping the road free. Old ladies have been threatened and sometimes the Cheval language is terrible.
February 19th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
I forgot to mention that I have discovered that parts of Eastgate Wharf, Lewes are unregistered land. If I discover that Cheval have hired Capital2Coast to set up shop on land to which they do not have good title, I will publish the details here. Then you can all form an orderly queue.
February 20th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Last Sunday, this man pushed a lady off her bicycle near the boot sale. She did not want to press charges but there are people who are trying to persuade her to do so. It seems that the police are very friendly with this clamper because no matter what he does, they will never prosecute him. The seem to think that because he’s a clamper, people are making up lies about him but he is a really nasty piece of work.
February 23rd, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Everyone who has been clamped and is having their vehicle ‘held ransom’ until they hand over money should now consider reporting a crime of blackmail to the Police and ask them to involve the council’s Trading Standards. This is what has happened in the West Midlands and shows a shift in policy to bring an end to what is classed as theft and extortion in Scotland.
n raids were carried out by the Police and Trading Standards in association with the BBC to expose what has now become a lawless, unregulated industry. This industry has been aided and abetted by the British Parking Association’s failure to expose the unlawful behaviour of their member and the failure to regulate private land operators and the DVLA who pass over keeper details for profit to companies.
Three men and a woman have been arrested as part of an inquiry targeting car clampers in Birmingham. They work for Nationwide Parking Control which is a member of the British Parking Association.
They were taken into custody on suspicion of conspiracy to blackmail following early morning raids in Moseley, South Yardley and Tyseley.
It was part of a joint operation between West Midlands Police and Birmingham Trading Standards.
The offices of car clamping firm National Parking Control in Digbeth were also raided.
So remember, the seizing of a car by ANYONE who then demands money for its return can be classed as blackmail and extortion.
Eventually they were prosecuted under the Business Names Act 1985. The Act states that the name of the business owner must appear on receipts so if you have been clamped by Capital2Coast, check that you were issued with a receipt which states the owner of that company.
If not, you should report the matter not-only to the police but to Trading Standards.
This is the link which reported the case, so there is a legal precedent: http://bit.ly/difShq
March 7th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Having been a trader at Lewes Market/Carboot for a number of years, i have had lots of dealings with Gavin Price.
His facebook page is still there but it is currently hidden. He used to post pictures of himself holding great bid wads of £50 notes. He claimed that he paid his staff cash and also posted his mobile telephone number on there. Since facebook made changes his profile is still protected so only friends can see it.
He seems to get away with all sorts of things that would normally get the every day person into tons of trouble.
The poor lady on her pushbike only moved the mirror on his van so she could get passed and then put it back in place. He accused her of scratching his van!!! there is a huge dent just below the scratch. The minute he phones the police they come down, if a member of the public phones they aren’t interested.
Once a gentleman was removing the clamp from his car and they took his wheel and locked it in the back of there van, they then started taking his tools as he was undoing his suspension. The police did come out and the gentleman was asked to pay an adminstration fee of £20 and the clampers were told to leave him alone for the next 2 hours so he could rebuild his car.
Some of the local police and the clampers have lunch together in a local cafe. Not too sure which one but i’m sure someone can find out.
March 7th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Cheval Properties claim to be the only company in the United Kingdom who do not profit from clamping. All the others charge clampers for the pleasure of clamping on their properties. Perhaps Cheval should register as a charity because there are some good tax breaks for charities. Mind you if Capital2 Coast even produce any accounts, perhaps there may be payments shown to Cheval.
March 29th, 2010 at 10:49 am
This week saw the return of the clampers after 2 weeks of peace. The first person they clamped was a distinct nurse and refused to release her until she paid up.
In total i believe they clamped 6 people while the carboot/market was on.
March 30th, 2010 at 9:18 pm
At £125 a pop, that’s at least £725 for a morning’s work. Anyone know how much they pay Cheval Properties for their patch? Remember most “security” guys are the ones who didn’t pay attention at school so they have to make their money when they’re reasonably young. They have a very short shelf-life – if that makes you feel any better. They are not usually the brightest light on the Christmas tree and looking at the photo above, I don’t reckon that Gav finished his degree course!!!!. I reckon that Cheval will be charging them at least £5K per year for the territory.
March 31st, 2010 at 8:22 pm
No they are now charging people £150 a time even thou the sign states £125.
May 16th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Witnessed Director Mat or Matt clamping a couple of cars outside Laura Ashley this morning. Excellent work. One of the traders told me that Capital to Coast are now becoming much more flexible and if you can produce cash, they will accept offers. That is REAL progress. The next time you go to the Sunday Boot Sale in Lewes, take a wad of cash with you and have a haggle with a clamper. Sounds like fun.
May 17th, 2010 at 6:04 am
This sunday they clamped 12 cars within an hour. Gavin and Matt were there.
I heard from a 3rd party that they were taken to court a few weeks ago for clamping a disabled person who had their badge correctly displayed and it costs Capital to Coast £2000.
May 26th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Gavin and Matt were back at it on sunday althou this week they only managed 2 cars. Both were parked outside Laura Ashley.
Would be nice to know if Waitrose have bought the road along with the land that their store stands on and what was Wenban Smith. Would make sense if they have. If so the Capital 2 Coast are operating totally illegally.
Anyone know??????
May 26th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Have you ever been clamped?
Enjoy: http://dlvr.it/1DQRL
June 1st, 2010 at 8:31 am
This week a motorcyclist got clamped. The police turned up and told the gentleman that if he attempted to remove the clamp they would arrest him for criminal damage.
He was forced to pay up in the end.
June 5th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Anyone know if they clamp people who park on that bit of pavement behind the vollenteer? I have seen a couple of cars parked there.
June 14th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
There is an Audi that parks there but i believe they are either something to do with the pub or live there. They haven’t clamped them that i know of but they could have 1 of the permits they give out.
I spoke to a traffic warden the other day who told me that the clamping area starts at the road surface change. The council make them have the road re-surfaced so there was a def line between the private road and the council owned part. On that basis if you park before the new tarmac you are only likely to get a parking ticket and not clamped.
June 18th, 2010 at 10:19 am
Have done a registered title search. The property is owned by an offshore company. The land in front of Laura Ashley was purchased at the same time in 2007 as the neighbouring land for total of £5.3m (when I believe Waitrose moved in) – no doubt all owned by the offshore company and leased to Waitrose. Previous poster says this means they are operating illegally – on what basis? I am not letting them have my £130. If anyone knows how to get company details on a NL company then let me know.
June 19th, 2010 at 8:27 am
May I make it very clear! It is NOT illegal to remove a clamp from your car/motor bike providing you do NOT damage it. (if you can get a witness or a mobile phone showing you removing the wheel that great)
Once removed take it to the police station and hand it in as lost property.
Always ask to see a valid SIA license, if they don’t have one then call the police. It is their duty to enforce this.
If you have any problems with them there, then sit in the car and do not move (they can’t tow it then), remind the police that this is civil matter and they are only there to ensure that they ‘ keep the peace’. And you are not breaking any laws sitting in your vehicle.
If you are unable to remove the clamp as you’re not that way in kind, then call a recovery vehicle to pick your car up and take it to a garage to have the clamp removed legally. But remember to take the undamaged clamp straight to the police station so you cannot be charged for ‘theft’.
Good luck every one.
June 21st, 2010 at 11:30 am
The local clampers Capital2Coast will go down in history as the clamping company which did more than any other to outlaw clamping.I will do everything that I can do to ensure that they have the benefit of maximum publicity so that the rest of England’s clampers can thank them.
Their greed and stupidity in the constinuency of Norman Baker MP who is the most vociferous of all anti-clampers shows how avarice always takes precedence over pragmatism.
Had they been a little more flexible and shown Norman that they and their masters are only interested in maintaining traffic flow, had they been more flexible towards the old, the pregnant, the foreign, the weak and the poor, perhaps they would have persuaded us that their “profession” isn’t just semi-legal thuggery.
These modern-day purse-snatchers and highway bandits will soon have their cash-cow taken away and slaughtered for ever.
Needless to say,one feels sorry for anyone who is so thick as to have to take up this profession, but hey, we can’t all be Einsteins with A-levels and degrees.
Please click on this link: http://bit.ly/aRkTkV
The beady eye of the legislators has once again been trained on a vile industry, populated by criminals and thugs who are hired by equally greedy landowners and their bag-carriers.
June 21st, 2010 at 6:24 pm
The link was good to read
This week Gavin and Matt were back. They clamped 4 cars outside the car boot. Using the clamp that isn’t home office or BPA approved. I have sent an e-mail to the BPA about this with photos.
Capital2Coast told me that Waitrose haven’t bought the road as they can still legally clamp there.
Gavin’s licence is up for renewal next week, am keeping an eye on it to see if it is done.
June 25th, 2010 at 8:36 am
Cap2Coast have moved into Cedar Road car park in Frimley, Surrey. We hear that they tend to pick on the elderly and women with children.
The local Council didn’t renew its car park lease so our favourite company has another licence to print money!
Apparently, the Police only interested in making sure there isn’t a disturbance.
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2065421_clampers_not_making_parking_changes_clear
They have changed the signs to be very similar to the previous ones which had 2 hours free parking, hence people in a rush do not notice.
The land is owned by the following company and it seems there is a CCTV camera hidden in one of their properties on the block of shops they own which backs onto the car park.That means that Cap2Coast can be there is a flash.
Company name: MONUMENT (FRIMLEY) LIMITED
Company number: 03504863
Address: 22 Barn Rise, Wembley, Middlesex, HAQ9 9NQ
Accounting reference date: 31st of July 2008
Date of incorporation: 05th of February 1998
SECRETARY and DIRECTOR: David Anthony Chambers
Appointed:24/03/1998
Date of Birth: 05/03/1955
Nationality:British
No. of Appointments:55
Address:22 BARN RISE WEMBLEY MIDDLESEX HA9 9NQ
We are investigating whether accounts have been submitted and will publish details ASAP.
For your information the directors of Capital2Coast are:
Richard Anthony Mussell
Brent O’sullivan
Gavin Stuart Price
Matthew Croft
Addresses can be supplied on request…
We recommend that everyone starts to challenge the fee in court as the levy of at least £130 is unreasonable.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets?dd
June 30th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
Maybe that is why they weren’t at Lewes on Sunday.
I submitted a letter with photos to the British Parking Assocation, they were using the clamp that isn’t Home Office approved and also having 2 wheels clamped on the car.
I got a box standard reply
Approved Operator Scheme BPA Ref: C2C 10-09
Thank you for your email below concerning your experience with Capital 2 Coast which I can confirm is a member of the above scheme.
The British Parking Association believes it is important to involve the motorist in helping us to drive standards in car parking higher. Our Approved Operator Scheme was developed to bring self regulation to an industry without primary legislation. We require our members to comply with a Code of Practice, and this correspondence from you is an invaluable aid towards achieving this compliance.
Regrettably, we are not able to actively assist you with this operator as we are not an adjudication service. You will be pleased to note however, that following a case made by the BPA to Government, new laws requiring the licensing of clamping companies together with an independent Appeals system is included in the Crime and Security Act which received Royal Assent before the general election.
We are asking the new Home Secretary to make regulations on this clause so that future cases like the one you have experienced will lead to independent redress for you.
All complaints we receive are recorded and investigated to determine if there has been a breach of our Code of Practice. Where we identify a breach, the information provided is used to instruct the operator to improve their working practices and ensure compliance. Failure to follow these recommendations may result in disciplinary action against the operator and possible suspension from the scheme.
Thank you again for drawing this matter to my attention.
Yours Sincerely
Richard Hilton
Acting Head of AOS
There were also 3 attachments which were basically a waste of 5 mins to read them.
June 30th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Gavin Price has renewed his licence.
June 30th, 2010 at 6:45 pm
Phari, You should reply to Richard Hilton ,Acting Head of AOS and thank him for his Circular. What a waste of time.
July 1st, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Capital2coast also have the contract to clamp around The Marletts at Burgess Hill, so if you go up that way the only safe place is in the multistory (if you can call it that) carpark. Anywhere else around the carpark or at the rear of the shops will see you clamped
Drago
I will just get more photos and e-mail them every week, maybe they will do something then.
I’ve forwarded the photos on to spygun so he can add them to the collection.
July 20th, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Look up Lock Bumping on you tube – almost all clamps can be lock bumped and removed with no damage to the clamp.
July 20th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
I have just been clamped in Frimley car park by capital2coast and they asked for cash or I could pay by card and they would charge me an extra £5. I would hardly wish to give my card details over the phone to a number I do not know. I checked out this company at companies house found the directors names and found this web-site. I have e-mailed the local paper and I am wondering what to do next.
July 23rd, 2010 at 1:23 pm
Thats interesting Davey, really need to know what type of key they use to get one the same. The keys are kept in the van and only got out when they are needed and put straight back in the front after being used.
I’ll do some investigating and update after the weekend.
July 23rd, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Joyce all i can recommend is to appeal. best to get as much evidence as you can, go back to the carpark and take pics of the signs, esp if they are too small for you to read, or are too far up the lampost to be read. Where your car was parked and what the reason they gave for clamping you etc.
July 23rd, 2010 at 6:34 pm
I was clamped by these guys recently at Frimley, for anyone looking for a company to patrol their own property, I would recommend them as the most professional clamping company around. In my view it was money well spent and I have now employed them to patrol my land….I think the only people that have a problem with these chaps are people that are abusing the parking on private land….I think they are wonderful.
My advice to everyone is park correctly and give these guys the credit they deserve for a job well done
July 24th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Ross is either an employee of friend of Captal2Coast. Nice try Ross. We ALL think that they’re wonderful, Ross. Otherwise, why would we be so interested in them?Perhaps you would be kind enough to tell us which land you own? Then we can all avoid it and everyone will be happy. Somehow though, I don’t believe that you own any land.
July 24th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Ross if you say you have employed them then you must have paid them. Can we ask how much? As normally they have to pay the land owner.
July 31st, 2010 at 12:29 pm
I was recently clamped by Capital 2 Coast Security, whilst I was parked in a car park in Surrey that has for the last 15 years been free. Silly me, I failed to notice that the signs had changed from free parking to fee parking. I appealed to them but as expected, to no avail. I wrote to my MP who replied that he has receied a number of complaints about this company. Well, I don’t like being robbed so I’m conducting some enquiries of my own into this company’s affairs and its Directors to see if there is any muck to uncover. If you have any information that you think may be useful, I’d like to have it please.
August 3rd, 2010 at 12:09 pm
This sunday saw Capital2coast clamping from a coutesty car from Becks Peugeot. Not too sure what the laws are about this as the only signs on the car were ones from Becks. I believe there was only 1 clamped on sunday morning which was parked outside Laura Ashley.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Capital2Coast’s activities also extend to Hove.
Once again they have a contact in a building who works with the clamping van driver. In this case there is a half empty office building in School Road called Rayford House with visitors’ spaces at the front – the back of the car park is mostly empty. If anyone parks there (whether or not they display a visitor’s badge) a contact in the building phones for the van – who clamps them as soon as the driver goes into the building.
As with the stories above, the clamper demands £130 on a card before releasing the visitor. These are usually tradesmen or delivery drivers such as plumbers; electricians etc who are working in the building who need to release their vans to carry on their work.
A tip – if you’re visiting the area, you can park on the road for 2 hours free. Don’t go near Rayford House even if that’s where you need to visit or deliver.
The building is owned by a company called Rayford Homes – does anyone know if there’s a connection between them and Capital2Coast or if they just take a percentage?
August 4th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
RAYFORD HOMES LIMITED
c/o GRANT THORNTON UK LLP
30 FINSBURY SQUARE
LONDON
EC2P 2YU
Company No. 03559162
Status: ADMINISTRATIVE RECEIVER
Date of Incorporation: 07/05/1998
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Company Type: Private Limited Company
Nature of Business (SIC(03)):
7012 – Buying & sell own real estate
7020 – Letting of own property
Accounting Reference Date: 30/09
Last Accounts Made Up To: 30/09/2008 (FULL)
Next Accounts Due: 30/06/2010 OVERDUE
Last Return Made Up To: 07/05/2009
Next Return Due: 04/06/2010 OVERDUE
Last Members List: 07/05/2009
Insolvency History
Previous Names:
Date of change Previous Name
25/06/1998 DUTYCLIP LIMITED
Recievers were 1st called in on 27/11/09
All the main info is here, for £1 you can get the details of who owes/owned the company.
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/ce659064547164b4af8fd69330f35501/wcprodorder?ft=1
August 4th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
I wonder if C2C are operating illegally there as i suppect there contract is with Rayford Homes but as they are no more then there is no contract.
August 4th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
A bit more info from searching on the web.
Martin Ellis and John Montague were appointed joint administrative receivers of
Rayford Homes Limited on 18 November 2009.
Martin Ellis is a Partner and John Montague is a Director for Grant Thornton.
August 6th, 2010 at 10:20 am
Phari, This is more complicated than it looks. RH Properties Ltd 05122465 seems to own the building now – they’re based in Gateshead, but there are 2 management companies registered in there – Rayford House management Ltd 01595604 and Sound Investments Ltd 01929521.
I give up – just tell people not to go near the building!
August 6th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
RH Propertises Ltd was disolved back in 2008. So they can’t own anything.
August 7th, 2010 at 10:01 am
Message for Joyce above (see July 20th)…………which newspaper did you notify ?
August 14th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
My vehicle was clamped (by Gavin Price, operating from a Becks Peugeot courtesy car) whilst parked at East Gate Wharf in Lewes on 2nd August 2010 and I paid the fee of £130, under protest, to have my car released. I’m writing to ask for a full refund on the basis of four grounds: 1) the charge was disproportionate, 2) the procedure may give rise to offences of blackmail and/or extortion, 3) the alleged contravention did not occur (the time marked on the invoice was after I had returned to the car and would have driven off but for the clamp), and 4) the receipt was unlawful as no business owner’s name was given. Many thanks to all of you above for the suggestions! I’m copying the letter to Norman Baker, my witnesses who happened to be there as I arrived back at the car in a state of shock to find it clamped (I’m not a Lewes resident, so didn’t know about all this and hadn’t read the signs, stupidly), Cheval Properties, Richard Hilton, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. I also took pictures and will send them on.
August 14th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Heres a relevant link http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/camberley_farnham/
August 17th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Do you get redundancy money in the Protection Racket industry? Let’s hope not. Bye, Bye Gavin.
August 17th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
and so say all of us
August 17th, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Hear hear ……and life may have a few more surprises up its sleeve for the extortionists who run (or should that be ran) this outfit.
August 17th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Esp as they have hardly any door contracts with pubs or nightclubs. Having asked my son who works in the Brighton Nightclub circuit it seems that they have lost all the major ones they had. The only one we know they have is for a pub in Seaford which lets people in even if they are on the banned list. (not sure of it’s proper name but it’s a list listing all the names of people banned from the pubs in the area).
August 18th, 2010 at 11:26 am
I used to work at the same firm as Mat Croft and Gavin Price. Remember one story where someone had put the ticket on the outside of his windscreen – very silly thing to do but he had paid for a ticket. Gavin came along and threw it away before adding clamp.
Nice guy!
August 18th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Gavin Price has worked in the cheffing industry before this and he didn’t succeed very well with that. I imagine he’ll turn to door work once clamping is out-lawed. He once clamped a car quite rightly, but then told the lady it would be there for a while if she wanted to finish her shopping and come back with the money. She left and he called in the tow truck…
August 18th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Ian, you can’t leave us in suspense like that. At least give us a clue. Don’t worry about Capital2Coast staff reading this. All working together they couldn’t turn a PC on. I believe the above stooge calling himself Ross was in fact one of their carers.
August 19th, 2010 at 5:53 am
Thanks Intrigued for giving a good laugh this morning.
Paul I’m shocked to hear he was a chef as he told me he was a brick layer. I will try and find out today. I have found out i know someone who is very good friends with him.
August 19th, 2010 at 9:44 am
I dont think Capital 2 Coast have been operating all that long – couple of years maybe? All that money it must have cost to establish the business and within 6 months its going to be scraping around for door jobs and will likely fold…shame!
I do believe Mr Price tried his hand at cheffing yes, but maybe he did some brick laying too. To be honest, what guys like him are doing is simply trying to make as much money as possible – he obviously thinks he couldn’t do as well financially in any other line of work, so he does this and is more or less doing it legally – hence why the laws are finally changing, as it *shouldn’t* be legal. What I think grates the public about guys like Gavin is their attitude towards the whole sorry business, and the dodgy tactics they use to enhance their income. I dont blame someone for trying to make money but like with most clampers its the attitude and underhandedness of it that makes you love seeing them suffer.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Capital2coast have been running just over 2 years and they claim that they had no debts after the first year. Every was paid for and owned by them.
I totally agree about the attitude Paul. I find it totally rude when talking to someone that they don’t remove there “designer” sunglasses. Gavin is a prime example of this.
August 19th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Well they may say that but I’ve never heard of a small company like that get set up without incurring any debts and then immediately generating a healthy profit. It would have taken them a while to get enough contracts for one thing.
Richard Mussell is also famed for his sunglasses, though he lacks in size compared to most clampers but has that mean ‘burlar’ look across his face at all times which scares little children I imagine.
Amazing to think when they go home these guys are just normal family men who enjoy going to the pub or on a nice holiday like the rest of us, isn’t it? Thats how in-humane they actually come across as!
August 19th, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Just out of interest, has anyone got any idea how many people are actually employed by Capital2Coast? Is it just the 4 “Directors” or do they have other employees?
August 19th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I guess from your description Paul, that Richard is the smaller of the guys that clamp. He does wear sunglasses but i have known him to take them off when speaking to people.
The amount they charge it wouldn’t take long to get back the costs of a couple of vans, some signs and some clamps, which are possibly the biggest outlay. I understand that some clampers pay to be allowed to clamp on private land. But it seems the Both parties claim that no money changed hands for them to clamp at Lewes. So the 1st week they arrived and clamped 15 cars. 1 was removed by the car owner, 1 was a disabled person which got removed. The other 13 had to pay up £130. Total £1690 for 15 mins work. It wouldn’t take long to recoup the set up costs for the company.
September 11th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
You all may like to know that the guy in the pic (Gavin) has just brought a new house paid for in cash and mortgage free and not for the first time?
September 12th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Thanks James. That’s the sort of information that we like. If you can give me some details at RRemail@email.com, I shall talk to a couple of chums at HMRC. I’m sure that we’d all hate to see Gavin overstretch himself and of course, I’d also hate to think that he’s spending money that he’s not supposed to have! If your information “stands up”, I will talk to the Financial Services Authority about it(I have chums there as well!).They are always interested in all aspects of money laundering. Has Christmas come early?
September 25th, 2010 at 12:38 am
You are all retarded! If you don’t park ILLEGALLY, then you will NOT be clamped! How would you like it if someone parked on your drive and left it there for x amount of time?
I do not know anyone at c2c or any other clamping firm for that matter.
They are simply carrying out what the LANDOWNERS have asked!
So simple!
September 27th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Dear Mark,see comment 53 above. I take it all back and congratulations on accessing this site. The clue is that only employees of this company refer to it as c2c. Apart from that – you WILL be clamped even if you don’t park illegally (get someone to read the comments above to you) that’s the WHOLE POINT of this website. Apologies for the capital letters but I can’t replicate Mark’s original green ink or the Vicky Pollard voice in Word.
September 28th, 2010 at 6:45 am
To INRIGUED (COMMENT 65). I think that you are being unecessarily cruel to Mark. He has obviously worked very hard to put together Comment 62. It’s not easy to write such long words in crayon and then have someone type for you. Give him some credit for effort.
September 28th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
I’ve just been charged a £375 release fee after they clamped and then towed my car behind Waitrose, they towed my car just after the 3 hour guideline set by the BPA, so the fee was £125 clamp + £250 tow. I’ve checked with the SIA, BPA, Citizens Advice, Trading Standards, http://www.moneysavingexpert.com and Sussex Police, all inform it’s legal, but I can bring a court case for recovery which I intend to do. I collected my car from a yard in Newhaven. Drive to Newhaven, follow signs for the fort, on the right hand side you’ll see signs for the Quarry Industrial Estate (Court Farm Road) drive round the back to the end. If anyone can help, or we can share information, please contact me. I also took photos of the yard, Richard Mussell, his SIA site badge licence, and I videoed him scribbling over my writing of ‘PAID UNDER PROTEST’ so I can show the court judge.
September 29th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Back to more serious matters. For those who want to make a positive contribution to ending this scam, please note that the Home Office Minister preparing the legislation to be presented to Parliament in November as part of the Freedom Bill is Lynne Featherstone. She has specifically asked for any issues or suggestions which may inform the legislation to be sent to her at the Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF. Since most of the contributors to this debate have first hand experience of Gavin’s tactics I know she would welcome your ideas to prevent any loopholes in the new law. For example, it has already been agreed that towing away will also be illegal (otherwise they could replace clamping with towing).In the interest of motorists across the country I would urge you to actively participate in this stage of the process so that this scandal is ended once and for all.
September 29th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
PS – I got the joke about the Canadian IP address even if Brent, sorry gdfhdf, didn’t – look it up.
October 8th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
I have been to this site and the signs are massive. I dont like this company at all and are informed they have lost more court cases than ive had hot diners.
If you lot have that much of a problem with this company you need to stop chatting and start taking them to court and warn people the area is protected/supply leaflets on how to take them to court.
All clamping companies rely on release fees expecialy with four greedy directors.
The compound where they store the cars is unsecure and is used by lots of people who all have keys.Which is in breach of the BPA code.
should you require more information please leave a message?
October 8th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Regarding number 58 They do employ staff but they dont tend to last long because they are paid £22.50 per clamp no salary.The last bloke they employed only clamped 4 cars in three days so he left.
And just to let you know capital 2 coast do read this site alot.
I belive they currently have one extra clamper that not a director.
Gavin price said there target is 70 clamps a week and they usally get it.
I wonder if their previous accounts declaire that amount?
October 11th, 2010 at 7:19 am
i got clamped yesterday by him, sunday at 6pm in worthing outside my dads flat which i popped into for 10 minutes.. i had to pay £125 on the spot to get my car back!
October 11th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
This is for CLAMPER (above). We all really pleased that you disapprove of Capital2Coast. However, as this link to YOUR site shows, you obviously do not disapprove of all clamping:
http://bit.ly/cJ4L8E
This page is for people who have been clamped – it is not either a Small Ads page nor an opportunity for clampers to create links for their own benefit.
October 25th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Oh my days! Who are the stupid people for parking there? It’s private property? You wouldn’t want someone parking on your drive! Gav and Matt are employed by private property owners to clamp cars that park where they shouldnt and it’s there job so they make money that is usually why people go to work to make money so stop moaning and park legally and you won’t have to deal with them! Simple!
October 26th, 2010 at 5:41 am
Ian (number 65)
When they towed your car away did they have to open the door to release the handbrake? If so i’m sure you can do them for breaking and entering. There tow truck can only lift 2 wheels.
November 29th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
There are no private clampers working in France. Why? The French are far more militant than we are over here in the UK. When clampers began to clamp vehicles,French car owners simply squirted superglue into the padlocks securing the clamps.
In order to remove the clamp from the wheel, the clampers had to cut through the clamp, thus rendering it useless. The idea spread through the country and it became common practice for people to carry a tube of superglue and use it on ANY vehicle that they found clamped.
The rogue clamping industry folded because it became “not economically viable” to clamp a vehicle, cut off the (expensive) clamp and then have to buy another one.
I am NOT condoning such practice because it is illegal.
I am merely pointing out that there are no longer private clampers working in French towns.
January 29th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
I parked in martlets Burgess Hill and received a little folded piece of paper in plastic bag on my window. Asking me to pay £80 in 28 days or I could pay £40 in 14 days for not displaying a valid ticket that was quite clearly displayed on the dashboard.
I spoke to someone in the Planning Department who believed any penalties were paid direct to the council, who I understand owns the site. This person is going to check if there has been any change of policy. My question really is concerned around general practice, as I have kept all details.
Is there a law that allows C2C to impose penalties and terms as a private company and to threaten bailifs if the amount is not paid? The penalty is clearly exhorbitant, even if I did not have a valid ticket, and the content of the note is quite intimidating with the “hidden message” that one would have to go to a lot of trouble, expense and take a risk that the courts are hopefully sensible just to avoid pay a lot more later. I really cannot afford to pay this penalty, even less a higher cost later if not successful. I have been advised to ignore it altogether and it will all go away but your forum suggests that is not a good idea.
The council member was surprised that this penalty had to be paid to C2C and could not be paid to the council. I also find this surprising, as I presume the site is not private and paid for out of our council taxes and all such penalties should be paid direct to the council, who should be the body to listen to any appeal in an unbiased “democratic manner and not those who stand to fill their back pockets and possibly even avoid tax.
I stand to be corrected in all of this and wouldn’t be surprised if these parasites have the protection of the law. I have long since stopped believing in the Lone Ranger.
January 30th, 2011 at 12:10 pm
can anyone on here tell me were the portsmouth office of capital to coast security is would be very helpfull thanks
February 8th, 2011 at 11:19 am
Peter,
Please DON’T pay this. This is the new scam which these sad con men are trying now that clamping is more difficult (though sadly not yet quite abolished). You can buy these kits via the internet and they come with little plastic bags etc included. Anyone can leave them on your car and they hope that if one in ten people actually pay the “fine” they are well into profit. You can even get a kit with an official looking jacket! Of course they have no more right than you or I to issue these. Does anyone know if you can do these people for fraud?
February 9th, 2011 at 10:00 am
I like Peter had a ‘Parking invoice’ in Burgess hill Waitrose car park for £40.00/£80.00 left on my car for an overstay of 30 mins from C2C, this was clearly an unfair fee so I sent them a letter and a cheque for a reasonable ammount (full day fee plus admin fee), but they sent my cheque back and a letter dated 6/1/11 which I received on the 9/2/11, some 34 days later, quoting the early payment time of 14 days or the full fee after 28 days, so that had expired before the letter had even left their office!!.
I had been reasonable now they can get stuffed and I’ll see them in court.
February 9th, 2011 at 11:05 am
Update from Hansard – we’re nearly there….
Written Answers — Home Department: Immobilisation of Vehicles: Private Land (26 Jan 2011)
Lynne Featherstone: The Government intend to include in the Protection of Freedoms Bill, to be introduced by February, provisions that will make it an offence to immobilise or tow away a vehicle without lawful authority, with the intention of preventing the motorist from moving their vehicle. This will not prevent landowners from using other forms of parking control which remain legal: for example, ticketing or…
March 7th, 2011 at 3:37 am
C2C is still clamping and managed approx 8 cars yesterday at Lewes.
I wouldn’t pay the fine either, it would cost them a lot more to take you to court.
As far as i can find out the new law won’t come into action until 2012. Which gives them another year to rip people off.
A couple of weeks ago they towed a car away from Lewes. The car was dragged backwards onto a flat bed transporter, i hope C2C are prepared for some bills for gearboxes if they do that to all the cars, i’m sure most people leave there car in gear when they park or if it is an automatic it won’t do the car any good at all.
With the delay in the law coming into force makes me wonder how many MP’s have shares/owns clamping companies and need time to off load them.
Peter i would recommend contacting Trading Standards, they would be able to tell you if you have to legally pay. There was an open case on them with the local office so remember to ask them to check there records as it will be another mark against them. Also the British Parking Ass, althou they can’t do a lot it’s sgain another black mark against C2C and i can assure you they have a lot there
June 1st, 2011 at 9:05 am
I received at ticket from them the other day at Broadwater even though i did have a valid ticket, well I will not be put down by their “bully boy” tricks.
Via companies house, I got their registered office, their accounts, I went their, they were most upset at their clents actions, as we all know, Capital2coast hide behind a mail box address, well here you go, here from their own accountents is their true address:
June 6th, 2011 at 8:15 am
Gavin has been appearing alone at Lewes for a few weeks now so i took a trip to companies house.
Seems that Brent O’Sullivan is no longer a director of the company.
This happened in March.
Besides the silver vans it seems that they also have blue 207’s driving about.
1 was seen in Burgess Hill on saturday. It was sign written so just be careful.
June 6th, 2011 at 8:16 am
Good for you Ray
They need people who will stand up to them.
June 8th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
People need to take the landowner as well as the clampers to court to get the money back. I did this with another rogue firm that operates in Ilford and Barking (Securak) and they owe the company I helped over £1000 now and its been in the papers there so there is pressure on them now. But I still expect to have to get it recovered from the landowner, unless the courts can trace their office and recover some assets. I used to work with Mat and Gav at Guardian Parking Management, but I disagree with the rates they charge and also a lot of the dodgy tactics employed.
July 5th, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Hello,
Sadly I too have now joined the ever growing list of unfortunate victims of this con.
Today my car was clamped in the Martlets Parking in Burgess Hill. My friend lives on the high street and has been given a residents parking permit. Since he doesn’t use it, he has lent it to me. The residents parking permit was displayed clearly on the dashboard.
When I called C2C (phone answered by Gavin), he told me that the residents parking permit cannot be used by anyone else apart from the tenant. I thought this was wrong because the tenant is paying his rent and thus is entitled to use his parking space they way he wants (within legal boundaries).
Does anyone here know if it’s illegal for a tenant to share his residents parking permit? I’m anyway going to be speaking to the parking permit issuing office as well as my friend’s landlord to check if they have any such clause.
If there’s no such clause, then what are my chances of getting back my £100 (which I paid to Richard Mussell) to unclamp my car.
Many thanks
Abrar
July 8th, 2011 at 9:34 am
Bad Luck, Aby. Parking permits, like tax discs, are issued for a specific vehicle and are non-transferable.
However, there are certain Business Parking Permits which are transferable. However, they do not have a vehicle registration number indicated.
Gavin was correct on this occasion. Unfortunately, that means that the chances of getting back your £100 are approximately nil.
I would suggest that you should try and appeal to Gav’s better nature. However, I’ve tried that myself but unfortunately, he managed to resist my charms.
July 15th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Thanks Spygun. Are you able to advise any specific rule or policy which states that private parking permits are issued for specific vehicles only (and cannot be lent or shared with anyone else). I suspect that only the council issued parking permits are specific to vehicle and hence they contain the vehicle registration number.
Also when my friend got the parking permit from the issuing office it contained some informational material which only talked about how to use the permit and highlighted the parking bays in the complex. There was (and even now) NO mention of the fact that the parking permit is not transferable.
My argument is that if the authorities had any problems with tenants lending or sharing their permits then they should have either clarified that in writing or at least warned the tenants.
Finally there are several warning notices in the parking complex which have been put up by C2S. They only say that a valid parking permit should be displayed at all times. In my case a valid parking was displayed so C2S argument that they clamped because an invalid permit was displayed is invalid.
Thanks again
Aby
July 15th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
I forgot to add. The parking permit my friend had does not contain vehicle registration number. It only states the flat number to which the parking permit has been issued.
July 25th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
So how did the C2C operative KNOW that you were using a Parking Permit which did not belong to you?
August 9th, 2011 at 3:32 pm
I seem to recall seeing Gavin wandering around the edge of the Marletts carpark once with a clipboard checking number plates. Maybe they have a list of the number plates that belong to the flats.
August 10th, 2011 at 11:18 pm
According to them, they followed me thru the CCTV which is installed in the parking premises. They saw me parking the car and leaving the parking lot via the opposite end (the residents block is on the other side). Apparently they then followed me on the road to see that I’m not a resident.
I had sent them an appeal to which they haven’t bothered to respond (despite their paper work which mentions that they will respond to all appeals within 14 days). I’m now going to be sending them a court notice
regards
Abrar
August 22nd, 2011 at 2:00 pm
This was emailed to me by Jonathan – another addition to Gav’s fan club. Photos on PHOTOS PAGE (cursor on LEWES CLAMPERS and the link to the page will reveal itself!!):
I enjoyed his hospitality in Lewes yesterday. A 78p jar of horseradish sauce cost me £130.
I was parked on no lines outside Laura Ashley for between two and three minutes. I have a couple of photos and a brief video of the little darling.
He had the cheek to tell me it was illegal to photograph someone without their consent.
I had to keep getting him to repeat what he was telling me as it all came out in such a montonous rush I couldn’t understand him first time round.
August 26th, 2011 at 10:56 pm
I parked at what I thought was Burgess Hill Waitrose Car Park for a very short time and found a ticket in a plastic bag on my return. did not see any Pay and display signs and thought all Waitrose car parks were free for two hours. I tried to appeal this by letter but they have not responded Does anyone know if this is private or council land? If private what is the dispute and appeals procedure. What happens next if they just ignore my attempts to appeal this!
September 2nd, 2011 at 11:02 pm
Crushed Rose i would contact Waitrose and also Burgess Hill council.
I’m sure C2C don’t have the right to ticket in Waitrose.
October 17th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
I new update. C2C are now issuing parking tickets to disabled drivers who park in Lewes when they have the blue badge clearly on display.
I have e-mailed Norman Baker, i was told that he will look into it and get back to me. will update as soon as i know something.
October 19th, 2011 at 10:43 am
I have written to C2C , asking them to confirm or deny that they are clamping the disabled. No reply yet. I shall publish it when it arrives.
Disabled? Surely not!!
October 22nd, 2011 at 1:35 pm
I have a parking ticket being handed to me on sunday from someone who was clamped last week. Will e-mail scan over on sunday Spygun.
November 14th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Got a ticket on July of this year for “Failure to display a valid ticket” at the Burgess Hill Waitrose carpark. Sent same day an email which photographic evidence of the ticket I paid for on my dashboard and sent it to C2C.
Roll on to now …. I get a “Final Reminder For Payment” despite the evidence.
What a disgrace. Think I shall talk to Waitrose and tell them.
November 19th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Aby/Abrar,
For what it is worth I see that this Richard Mussell character is now (or also) clamping for an outfit called ‘Ethical Parking Management’ in Brighton. Ethical??!! – Doncha just love it! – see http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=66384.
If you (or any other victims of these scoundrels) want to have a crack at getting your money back just start your own thread on pepipoo to ask for advice. In a nutshell the advice is to compose a formal letter to both the clamping outfit and the landowner who instructed them demanding the return of your money [don't 'appeal' to the clamper - the response to appeals is always and obviously 'no'; they have no interest in giving you back your money!] failing which court proceedings will be issued. NB: If you do have to sue you should include the clamping operative himself as a third named defendant. As and when a CCJ is obtained (which is usually pretty easy as most clampers can’t be arsed to defend proceedings) you can just contact the SIA and ask that the individual’s “licence to clamp” be revoked or suspended. I would expect that should produce payment pretty swiftly: without his licence to clamp he’s no use to his employer and he might even be forced to find honest work . . . which is normally something that the average clamper would have great difficulty doing given their lack of wit, charm or qualifications.
December 16th, 2011 at 10:24 am
I work for a roadside breakdown company and yesterday (14/12/11 ) was called to attend a car on the fourth floor of Morrisons Multi Storey Car Park in Bognor. My van requires 10 foot 2 inchs of headroom, so MSCPs are a no go area. On arrival the options were, park on double yellows on the road and cause problems for other vehicles, or park on a spot of land outside an empty commercial premises, admitedly with signs warning that clamping was in operation etc.. I chose the latter, left my well liveried van with flashing amber beacons front and rear and a sign in the window that reads, Roadside Technician on urgent nearby breakdown, please call if any problems. I rounded up my (heavy ) tools and sorted the breakdown. Back to my van all of 10 mins from my arrival, and lo and behold, clamped! The chap from Capital 2 Coast was sitting in his car still writing out the paperwork. The obvious conversation ensued with his flat refusal to see any point of view other than his. Common sense bypass in full effect. I called my boss who said sit tight. I think the clamper got wind of what might be about to occur and moved his vehicle so a tow truck could not get to the front of my van and informed me he had asked two of his colleagues to attend to assist in blocking my vehicle in. At this point our company’s large flat bed recovery truck turned up, out jumped my mate, jacked up the clamped wheel and placed a “Skate” under the wheel taking care not to damage the clamp, meantime the guy driving the recovery truck manouevered in to a position where he could winch me on to his bed. Mr Clamper took decisive action and blocked that route of escape so we simply drove the van on to the road on the skate. His re-enforcements arrived and again used their vans to ensure we could not load my vehicle on to the lorry.
At this time the clamper called the Police who would arrest us for Theft!! When the Police arrived he asked what had happened and what were we going to do. We informed him that we wanted to recover our property (My van) and could he obtain an address to which we could return the clamp, undamaged, to the clamping company. Jed Clampit said if we did that it was theft but the copper said that as we had made it plain from the outset that we wished to return his property and had no intention of depriving him of it it wasn’t theft. Next thing we know, he has removed the clamp and driven off!! Result. OK I lost an hour or so at a busy time of day but it felt GOOD!!
December 22nd, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Nice one Paul.
Wageslave it seems that Richard is no longer a director of C2C. Guardian Parking was the name C2C used when they first started clamping at Lewes. This lasted for about 2-3 months before they changed the name. I’m suprized that C2C haven’t changed their name yet, maybe they haven’t been taken to court enough times yet.