SUPERMARKET giant Waitrose is standing by its controversial decision to slap a £25 charge on customers who leave cars at its Stroud store after doing their shopping.

The penalty introduced at the end of November is aimed at stopping shoppers parking at the London Road store and walking into town. Since it was introduced a steady stream of complaints about 'mean-spiritedness' has poured into the SNJ.

But the upmarket chain - which made profits of more than £60-million after tax in 2003 - has defended the decision.

Bosses say motorists can easily use the multi-storey car park next door for 40p. But shoppers have been appalled, saying the decision smacked of corporate penny-pinching.

Customer William Snell, of Dr Middleton's Road, Chalford Hill, was angered when a warden stopped him as he left for the town centre with wife Joanne and daughter Jemima, four.

"A weary manager gave us a rehearsed and unconvincing justification of their policy," he said.

"But was there really such a great problem here? We could always find a space. Their new regime is symptomatic of the trend to over regulate, over complicate and generally boss people about.

"Waitrose prefers to inconvenience the majority of people rather than accept a few illicitly saving 40p."

Jeanne Berry of Elcombe, Slad, was also caught by the regulations, which she said are not customer focused.

"The whole idea seems badly flawed and we won't be crossing their threshold again unless we can creep under the wire," she said.

"We hope others will do likewise."

A Waitrose spokesman said the car park was designed for its customers only.

"This is a Waitrose car park allocated for our shoppers and we want to make sure they can use it," he said.

"We have put up posters in the branch and leaflets have been distributed around the car park to ensure people are aware of the new system."