SIR, Regardless of legalities, Waitrose will ultimately be the losers in the cut-throat retail world of supermarkets with their current car park policy. Parking refunds for shoppers who spend over £5 in Waitrose is all well and good, but what the management have not considered is that the initial enforced charges will put off Waitrose customers rather than attract them. At least 80p in change is required to park before one can start shopping in Waitrose for a maximum half hour. For £2.50 the customer gets two hours of free parking. This is all well and good if one has the correct change and the precognition of the conditions attached to parking in their car park. Arriving without coins and especially any cash, is a hassle as there are no cash machines in the vicinity. Waitrose, no doubt, has a cash back facility and provides change but the whole process is an unnecessary irritation. Moreover, this ridiculous parking policy is not clearly sign posted and a new customer could easily miss the notices. This is exactly what happened to my elderly mother and I yesterday when we went to Waitrose for lunch in the cafe and to shop there. I only realised about the parking charges after I had put my mother into a seat at the cafe and went to get some money for lunch. With only a one pound coin to feed the ticket machine I received precisely 30 minutes of parking. Needless to say lunch was aborted with a very confused 87-year-old mother being urged to hurry up. Under the time restrictions, my mother only managed to buy a few things and we went elsewhere for lunch and shopping. Needless to say, I will never shop there again and I doubt that I will be the only one. James Page (Usk)