Anyone who has ever visited the Trafford Centre can attest to parking nearby being sometimes a bit of a nightmare.
Any well-coordinated operation begins with a bright and early arrival - especially if you plan on getting that prized spot near Selfridges or John Lewis.
On the second-to-last Saturday before Christmas Day (December 11), we visited the Trafford Centre car park to see just how busy it was - and how easy it was to find a spot.
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Beforehand, one person on Twitter warned us: “Trying to find parking at Trafford Centre on a Saturday is an extreme sport.”
Another like-minded individual said: "Trying to find a parking space at the Trafford Centre is one of the worst things I’ve ever attempted."
But, straight off the bat at around 11am, it’s actually not as busy as expected.
Of course, the spots closest to the centre are filling up nicely but there's plenty of spaces to be found away from the entrances.
But despite the abundance of spaces in the near distance, people still decide to do what they want and opt for a more 'unorthodox' approach when it comes to parking.
There’s vans parked on pavements and kerbs - all in an very-obvious attempt to avoid the double-yellow lines and from parking too far away.
It’s not just vans either - cars have also taken up the growing trend of parking on walkways, pavements and curbs.
Not only that, but a number of vehicles have parked in disabled spots without any visible proof they are a blue badge holder.
A nearby traffic enforcement officer is on hand to ensure they are given a very festive parking charge notice for when they return with their bags of pressies.
They're having none of it, issuing notices left, right and centre for all kinds of dangerous and irresponsible parking.
By midday, more people are arriving - having seemingly opted out of that early morning arrival - and it’s becoming a battle for the best spot.
With the weather not too pleasant at the moment, it’s understandable that people may not want to park too far away from the main entrance but there are multiple car parks available.
In fact, according to the Trafford Centre’s website, there are 18 free car parks dotted around the shopping venue - totalling around 11,500 parking spaces.
In addition, there’s a bus station and a tram line bringing people directly to the centre.
Earlier this year, a number of Trafford Centre customers noticed they'd been hit with fines as part of a new 'Sensitive Parking Scheme'.
The scheme was introduced during the summer when a number of events resulted in some of the centre’s car parks were closed off - limiting the overall number of spaces.
At the time, Trafford Centre bosses warned that parking in pedestrian walkways and emergency exits could result in a fine.
A spokesperson today told the M.E.N: "We want to provide a safe and accessible environment for all our visitors.
This means that certain areas of our car parks, such as pedestrian walkways and emergency exits, need to stay clear at all times.
"We also need to ensure that accessible bays are kept clear for visitors who require them.
"Due to a small minority of visitors parking in these areas, we have re-introduced our Sensitive Parking initiative to encourage safe and appropriate use of our car parks.
"Any queries need to be directed to Workflow Dynamics on 03444 127 929 or enquiries@workflowdynamic.com."
According to the law, owners can issue Parking Charge Notices on private land.
If a driver refuses to pay the notice, the operator could choose to take them to civil court.
The Trafford Centre has been approached for further comment.
