A BUILDER fears he may end up on “Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!” after he was fined £60 for parking in a pub car park for EIGHT minutes as he picked up supplies for his 70-year-old mum.

Steve Webster, from Benfleet, was “gobsmacked” when he received the penalty notice from Euro Car Parks.

The 42-year-old was picking up some essential items for his mum, who is shielding from the coronavirus, from the Sainsbury’s Local, in Benfleet High Road.

Benfleet High Road has very limited car parking spaces on the road and the Sainsbury’s car park was full.

Mr Webster decided to park in the Benfleet Tavern pub opposite after seeing it was empty since all pubs are closed. Most of the nearby residential streets have double yellow lines or other restrictions.

The self-employed builder said: “You can’t get parked down Benfleet High Road so I thought I would park in the pub opposite as it was shut and there was no one in the car park.

“I was in there for eight minutes so to get the fine through for £60 I was gobsmacked.

“I would understand more if the pub was open and I parked in there for a while without using the pub.”

Mr Webster regularly brings shopping to his mum, who lives in Basildon.

She had a stroke three years ago and was due to move into sheltered accommodation in Pitsea as she is finding it difficult to get in and out of her first-floor flat.

Mr Webster, added: “I tried to email Euro Car Parks to appeal as they are not available on the phone because of the virus and they’ve come back and said it can take up to 35 days just for a reply.

“In eight days time if I don’t pay the £60, it will go up to £100.

“I am a self-employed builder and haven’t been working since the coronavirus hit and have had to put my mortgage on hold so I can’t afford to pay £60 for stopping in a car park for eight minutes.

“It’s just pathetic.

“I am worried that it will go up before I have heard back from them and then they might pass it on to a debt collection team or I’ll be on ‘Can’t Pay? We’ll Take it Away!’.”

Both Euro Car Parks and the pub were contacted for comment by the Echo yesterday but no response was received before we went to press last night.