There’s been a strange twist in Swindon Town Centre this past few weeks – one that has echoes of a famous urban legend from down the M4.
Reports have surfaced of a man posing as a car park attendant at the Whalebridge car park, allegedly taking cash payments from drivers while the parking barriers remain out of action.
Witnesses, who were heading off to a show at the Wyvern Theatre, claim the unknown individual was requesting £2 in cash to “help” visitors find a parking space, taking advantage of a technical fault that’s left the barriers raised.
It hasn’t taken long for comparisons to be drawn to the well-worn tale of the “Bristol Zoo parking attendant” – a man who, according to local legend, operated a car park outside the zoo for years, pocketing visitor fees without ever being officially employed by the zoo or the city council. That story, whether rooted in fact or folklore, has amused the public for decades.
The Swindon variation may not come with talk of retirement abroad and suitcases full of cash, but it certainly raised eyebrows among regular users of the Whalebridge parking facility.
Swindon Borough Council has responded, stating: “We have been experiencing intermittent issues with our car park barriers at Whalebridge car park and are working hard to resolve the problem. The fault has meant that we have had to keep the barriers open to allow people to exit the car park.
“We check our car parks every day and we have not received reports of anyone collecting money at Whalebridge. However, we have asked our staff to be extra vigilant and would encourage everyone who uses our car parks to pay in the normal way at the machine.
“In the meantime, our parking team will be conducting extra patrols to ensure any cars parked in the multi-storey have a valid ticket.”
At the time of writing, it is unclear whether the mystery man is still appearing at the car park, but users are advised to avoid paying cash to anyone on-site and instead use the designated machines or payment apps.
With no sign of a getaway to Marbella just yet, this tale may not have the glamour of its Bristol counterpart – but it certainly has all the makings of a new Swindon legend.
