This is hard to believe !! http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/McDonald-s-bans-18s-good-idea-Plymouth/story-28808773-detail/story.html If they knew there was going to be trouble, why on earth allow them to open 24 hours ?

In Feb of this year I spent a couple of hours with a mate over several coffees in a local MacDonalds. The place was virtually empty as was therefore the car park. I did not realise that there was a parking restriction. Cut to the chase - recd a £100 parking fine ( reduced to £50 if paid quickly ). Naturally I was aghast & appealed via MacDonalds only to receive a standard - nothing to do with us - letter. This letter from McD's did state that their staff 'aim to look out for customers who have been in the restaurant for longer than the 90 minute period to make them aware of their overstay'. Clearly they did not make me aware! ( despite restaurant being very quiet that late evening ) I decided to do nothing until further letters started to arrive demanding payment & threatening court action. I have now recd 3 x letters from UKPC ( inc the original parking fine demand ) & subsequently 4 x letters from DRP. I responded to both UKPC & DRP using the templates found on this site ( most helpful ) but to no avail thus far. The first 3 ( of the 4 ) DRP letters demanded £149.99 but the latest - recd this morning - asks for a 'reduced payment offer to avoid court proceedings' of £120. This request has also been recd by email ( all of my correspondence to both UKPC & DRP was sent by email - I have recd several email responses in addition to the 'standard?' letters ). Can anyone give me any advice on next steps? I rather hope ( probably unfounded? ) that this latest reduced demand may be a sign of weakness on their part? Any guidance would be very much appreciated - not sure whether to cave in or keep stonewalling?