Geoff received a £100 fine for parking while litter picking in the car park
A Thanet litter pick volunteer has been slapped with a £100 fine for being parked at the Cliftonville Lido while clearing up the rubbish strewn across the car park.
Geoff Hickie, from Ramsgate, is a prolific litter picker, giving thousands of hours of unpaid service to the community.
He says he had parked his Renault at the Parking Eye managed site for 19 minutes on May 16 while he cleared the trash from the site.
Days later he received the parking penalty.
Cliftonville East councillors Barry Manners and Marc Rattigan say they are now trying to get the fine cancelled but have also set up a fundraiser in a bid to get it paid, if needed, without hitting Geoff in the pocket. They have kicked off efforts with a £25 donation each.
They say Geoff was “really upset and left disheartened” to receive the fine. Below photos show the car park site before and after Geoff’s visit.
A furious Cllr Manners has written to Parking Eye, saying: “I am a local ward councillor in Margate. The driver of this vehicle is well known in the community as he devotes around 20 hours a week as a volunteer litter picker. He works alone, often with a dog.
“He was cleaning along the coast on this instance – and in particular cleaning litter that was strewn across the Lido Car Park. A responsible landowner would clear the litter themselves. The fact that they fail to do so and a member of the public is now being penalised for their civic responsibility on clearing up the landowner’s mess deserves scrutiny.
“I urge you to cancel the penalty, apologise to the driver and to make an effort to clear the litter on your land that blights the seafront.”
Cllr Manners added: “I have known Geoff for seven years since moving here. He’s a local legend – out in all weathers, often with his dog, picking up litter. He has done more than almost anyone to keep our streets and coastline litter free.
“The fine for parking just so he could clear the inexcusable litter at the Lido car park is a massive blow to him. I want the fine cancelled.
“Meanwhile let’s chip in so he doesn’t have to worry about it, with a few quid for a well earned drink in return for his thousands of hours of unpaid service to the community in Thanet. Well done to Cllr Marc Rattigan for setting up the GoFundMe. I hope everyone who appreciates clean streets and beaches can chip in a pound or two.”
Parking Eye has been contacted for a response.
The two main Lido plots – excluding the snooker club area- were bought by Waterfront Holdings Limited in December 2024 for £182,897.
The sole director of Waterfront Holdings is Margate FC chairman Ricky Owen. A charge is registered against the company’s property with Evgueni Dogot as the ‘entitled person.’ Mr Dogot is also one of Margate FC’s principal owners and shareholders.
It had formerly been owned by company Stour Side Developments and Stour Side Investments which bought the two plots at, including the car park, for £699,999 in 2014.
In 2017 the company went into administration and remained so for a whopping seven years until creditors voluntary liquidation was enacted in 2024 and the site was sold.