[Johnny Brown]

Before purchasing a sticker I rarely parked in Plantation car park as the gates usually shut before I get back to the car, thats unlikely to change.

  The dressing-down I got from the guy who shuts the Dovedale car park when I returned 20 minutes late has put me off "locked at dusk" car parks for life. Still got a sticker though. 

As far as I know Bill has never locked anyone in the Plantation car park unless they've asked him to. Parking outside does spare him the hassle of spending all night checking whether you've gone though.

Bill is due to retire soon and his replacement is unlikely to be as accommodating (for a number of reasons).

[luckyjez]

We will make the stickers more obvious at the front counter in Outside. We did have them well advertised when they first came out, but we  (obviously) need to use our advertising space for things we sell as well. Remember, cash only please.

[cheque]

The dressing-down I got from the guy who shuts the Dovedale car park when I returned 20 minutes late has put me off "locked at dusk" car parks for life. Still got a sticker though. 

As far as I know Bill has never locked anyone in the Plantation car park unless they've asked him to. Parking outside does spare him the hassle of spending all night checking whether you've gone though.

Bill is due to retire soon and his replacement is unlikely to be as accommodating (for a number of reasons).

Good to know.  :thumbs: I have no problem with the concept of carparks that are locked at night- the problem is with my inability to judge how much light is left/ how long it takes to walk out from crags!

[slackline]

Parking outside does spare him the hassle of spending all night checking whether you've gone though.

Thankfully I've never inconvenienced him, but thats incredibly nice of him for those who have missed the signs.

Bill is due to retire soon and his replacement is unlikely to be as accommodating (for a number of reasons).

Also good to know, hope whoever takes over keeps up the tweeting.

[El Mocho]

I was probably on my big holiday when the scheme was launched. I live in Hathersage, go to Outside and The Works quite a lot, look on here and ukc a fair bit and go to Stanage and I had not heard about it until just last week (can't remember where I found out) and when I did find out I didn't realise the money was ring fenced/what it was going to be used for.

I would have thought for climbers from further afield they may have heard about it at the launch but not been planning on going to Stanage at the time, when they get around to heading to the peak they may have forgotten about it (it really doesn't seem that well advertised). People always want beta and always like watching 8B wads struggling on 7A mantles so I suggest Mason buts it on the start of all his videos.

Someone (was it John H) said they had been at the car parks a few times flogging the sticker - obviously this relies on keen volunteers but it does sound like it would work especially if backed up with info on where the money is going to be used. If we could organise a few times to do this I would be happy to take a shift up there.

Working for DMM I do a few events around the country, if/when doing one local to the Peak I would have no problem either just promoting the sticker scheme or actually selling some. WC are based in the Peak... Boot demos at local walls...

[john horscroft]

I was probably on my big holiday when the scheme was launched. I live in Hathersage, go to Outside and The Works quite a lot, look on here and ukc a fair bit and go to Stanage and I had not heard about it until just last week (can't remember where I found out) and when I did find out I didn't realise the money was ring fenced/what it was going to be used for.

I would have thought for climbers from further afield they may have heard about it at the launch but not been planning on going to Stanage at the time, when they get around to heading to the peak they may have forgotten about it (it really doesn't seem that well advertised). People always want beta and always like watching 8B wads struggling on 7A mantles so I suggest Mason buts it on the start of all his videos.

Someone (was it John H) said they had been at the car parks a few times flogging the sticker - obviously this relies on keen volunteers but it does sound like it would work especially if backed up with info on where the money is going to be used. If we could organise a few times to do this I would be happy to take a shift up there.

Working for DMM I do a few events around the country, if/when doing one local to the Peak I would have no problem either just promoting the sticker scheme or actually selling some. WC are based in the Peak... Boot demos at local walls...

Great stuff! Could you PM me? There are some crackin' ideas there which could easily transfer to other people/organisations. Cheers El Mocho

[john horscroft]

Thanks everyone who responded to my plea for ideas - typically challenging/helpful UKB response! Plan is to review the campaign, take account of the feedback and come up with a turbo-charged version for the next year.  Thanks all!! 

[highrepute]

Regarding the sticker. I haven't bought one as I already get one of the PDNP parking permits every year.

It's a guess but you may have sold as many as you are going to. The market can only be so big?

Have UKC ran a front page story on this? Worth asking them to do so.
I've seen the sticker publicity in BMC mag but not noticed it in any climbing walls. Is there a poster?
Selling at the car parks does sound like the best option to me.

I shall start advertising the sticker in my climbing videos. Is there a pdf/jpg poster?

[tomtom]

If theres a way to get people to pay via a direct debit (rather than one off payment) - possibly via the incentive of a small discount - then you don't have to worry about the yearly renewal/date/when it happens etc..?

I've no idea if the parks website can handle that though..

I'd have bought one - but.. when they were first announced the website didnt work - and I've not been back to look since..

[slackline]

If theres a way to get people to pay via a direct debit (rather than one off payment) - possibly via the incentive of a small discount - then you don't have to worry about the yearly renewal/date/when it happens etc..?

I assume the stickers colour and/or graphic needs changing annually à la National Trust stickers, otherwise you need only buy one and never renew.  Synchronising renewal to a fixed date is therefore essential.  You could still take payment by direct debit though.

[galpinos]

I'd have bought one - but.. when they were first announced the website didnt work - and I've not been back to look since..

John, here's your problem. If someone who knows about it, climbs in the peak a lot (though maybe not at Stanage) but hasn't bought one and probably wouldn’t were if not for this thread (mild guilt might now change this….), it'll be hard to hit your targets. TomTom should be the “baseline” sales, with occasional visitors being a top up.
The BMC website is pretty easy though, an it’s discounted with the Stanage guide. Some good suggestions in this thread, especially the volunteers in car parks, UKC and adding it into videos.

[highrepute]

I'd have bought one - but.. when they were first announced the website didnt work - and I've not been back to look since..

https://shop.peakdistrict.gov.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=31

works now

[cheque]

Some good suggestions in this thread, especially the volunteers in car parks, UKC and adding it into videos.

We need a film with various Dead Fit People Who Go Climbing crushing at Stanage with only floating car park sticker logos to cover their modesty. God knows it's still warm enough for it. 

[Will Hunt]

Hi John,

I considered getting one but for me, its too expensive. As nice as it is to support a good cause, as this certainly is, I would also want to get value fromt he ticket, i.e. to save money on net on parking at Plantation.

As a non-local, I don't visit the crag very often (once, maybe twice, a year). If I visited more regularly I definitely would have got one.

I think focussing your advertising on Sheffield is a mistake. Climbers also live in other parts of the UK. You should definitely get in touch with the Huddersfield and Brighouse walls as the users here are likely to use Stanage quite a bit, as are some who use The Depot (Leeds) and CityBloc, not to mention the Nottingham/Derby and Manchester walls. Dare I say that a regional discount for tickets sold at walls in Yorkshire would make it more cost effective for less frequent users? Its not like you have to cover significant production costs (I hope!) so even a heavily discounted ticket is good money in the pot.

I also think that issuing on a calendar year basis is something that needs changing as it means sales will probably nose dive after perhaps the first quarter. If you issued a simple stamp to each wall selling stickers then it shouldn't be much trouble for the counter staff to add a year to the sale date and stamp it on. Obviously this isn't immune to tampering but I think its unlikely that the average Stanage visitor would do this given the worthy cause that the stickers support. You must be planning on changing the colour of the sticker in 2016? I'd feel uncomfortable buying one in the latter part of this year on a verbal promise that there was to be no enforcement and that any 2015 stickers would be valid in 2016. As said above, there is likely to be a changing of the guard soon and the new ranger might not be so forgiving.

[slackline]

 

As said above, there is likely to be a changing of the guard soon and the new ranger might not be so forgiving.

My understanding is that whilst its simple to issue fines for parking on "private land"[1] it would be very difficult to actually enforce fines.  See...

Vehicle control services parking ticket
Parking ticket query (bit dated now)
Parking fine - Meadowhall Retail Park - should I pay up? (even more dated)
Another "weasling out of paying parking fines" question (ditto)

[1] Is the car-park and more broadly Stanage in general private land?

[Johnny Brown]

It won't be up to the ranger to be forgiving or not, it will be whether the policy of the park changes. Which it won't if the sticker is a success. If you only visit twice a year just pay a the machine.

Stanage is not privately owned, it is in the (public) ownership of the Peak National Park, so they would have no problem enforcing fines if they wished.

I don't think the stamp idea is a goer, it needs to be simple.

[slackline]

Stanage is not privately owned, it is in the (public) ownership of the Peak National Park, so they would have no problem enforcing fines if they wished.

Thank you for the clarification on ownership Adam.

Issuing of fines is therefore the responsibility of the local constabulary (since Peak National Park is not a council).  It would be a shame to see the funds diverted into the police coffers.