Parking charge for birthday party

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How would you feel about your child being invited to a birthday party where you had to pay £6 to park?
There are 2 spaces provided with the booking but I’m not sure how other parents would feel having to pay to park. I’m not a driver myself so usually would be dropped off or get the bus/lift and wouldn’t know if this would put you off?

It wouldn’t bother me but then most places where we are you have to pay to park so it wouldn’t be unusual here.

I wouldn't be chuffed if the person hosting the party or their representative was patrolling in a hi-viz jacket and expecting you to pay them directly for parking, as a little birthday bonus!!

Otherwise, though, unless they've assured you that there's free parking provided, it's always going to be a possibility that you'll have to pay.

Do parents need to stay or can they just drop off and avoid the charge?
Can you tell them in advance so they could lift share, 1 parent per 3 or 4 children?

Nah - if I didn’t want to pay I would park further away or make it work somehow.

Not ideal. If it was a close friend I’d still go but would the heads up

For most people, it would be fine, I think. Can you get public transport and avoid the charge?

Thanks for the replies.
It’s the venue that charges for parking and it’s a bit out the way so not really easy for most to walk to from further away.
I’ve checked and it’s ok to drop off without paying but it will be mostly younger kids so think most of the parents will want to stay.
It’s the first party I’m looking at booking in an external venue so not really sure what other parents expect when it comes to this sort of thing. My sisters who have older kids have said that it’s not my fault and wouldn’t mind but I don’t ever remember having to pay for parking when attending kids parties before.
I suppose as long as I include it on the invites it leaves it up to them?

Wouldn't think anything of it. Plenty of parties are at places where you have to park. I paid to park last weekend for a laser tag party that was in a shopping centre.

£6 is steep for parking. I’m not against paying for paying when I am out and about, but £6 is what I’d expect to park in a city centre for two hours. That’s really expensive IMO.

I’d still go, but I’d want to be warned beforehand. I don’t always carry cash on me, so having the heads up from the organising parent beforehand would be helpful.

No big deal, OP. If you have a car then paying for parking is just part of the cost of running it - or do you want them to pay for your petrol to get to the party too? Or maybe your bus fare instead?

Why not just offer to pay the parking for them? That would be the best thing to do.

I never look at if I have to pay for parking before attending a party. The ones at trampolining you do but not sure how much it is (I never end up being the parent that ends up going). It wouldn't bother me though.

I'd inform.parents. some might give other children lifts and share the cost. £6 is alot

(are you buying parents a coffee at the venue?)

I wouldn’t be too impressed at being asked to pay for parking at a play venue but then there are no places that charge for parking in my little town. It’s more a city thing.

I would appreciate a heads up, because that is very unusual here.

As long as you make them aware beforehand it shouldn't be an issue.

Paying for parking is normal where I am, so people will expect to pay. £6 is about a normal charge for an hour.

We're in London so it's normal to expect to pay here, and just part of the expense of being a motorist.

I would definitely make it clear there is a parking cost because then they would have the opportunity to car share to reduce the cost.

It wouldn't bother me that there was a charge and I wouldn't expect you to foot the bill.

Wouldn’t phase me as I’m also in a city so it happens regularly but might be nice to let people know in case they have a tight budget and would be surprised. If they all know each other they can carpool.

If it was a venue that was special and not like anything else it wouldn't bother me especially if I had been pre-warned. Something like a swimming pool with splash park say - there's probably only one of those in the geographical area that is realistic for a birthday party. If it was a run of the mill venue like a soft play, and out of the decent ones in the area you had chosen the one with expensive parking, that would annoy me!

Wouldn’t bother me but would appreciate the heads up and confirmation if it’s cash only or cash / card.

It wouldn’t bother me as long as I was forewarned. I went to a soft play party once and parked in the wrong side of the car park not realising it belonged to KFC next door and was capped at 1 hour got a £60 fine now that was an expensive party!!