A popular YouTuber visited a car park which has been inundated with low reviews and branded Bristol a "car-hating" city after describing his experience as "reasonably pleasant".
Jon Jefferson, motoring channel, Auto Shenanigans, decided to venture to Rupert Street car park in Bristol city centre after it was slapped with one-star reviews on Google, with an overall score of 2.8. According to complaints, the site is "disgunstingly expensive" despite supposedly smelling of urine.
Members of the public have previously been left appaled by the state of the car park and claimed there was "glass everywhere". However, Jon disputed the complaints and said he felt quite safe during his stay. A 24-hour stay amounts to £26.95 (on a standard tariff), but Jon wasn't as happy when it came to the £3.95 charge an hour and labelled it a "rip-off".
"One hour is £3.95 which is still a bloody rip off, but you are right in the middle of Bristol, what can you expect," he said in the clip. "It is not the crime-riddled 'p**s hole that the reviews will have you believe. It is a bit expensive though." At the end of his clip, he revealed that the questionable odour wasn't that bad and later offered the site a four-star review, reports Bristol Live.
The full Google review reads: "I tested previous reviews and here are my findings; There was no broken glass or smashed vehicles. It didn't feel unsafe. And I found not a single violent vandle. The aroma of urine was faint, I'd say more of a musk. Prices are expensive. All of the lifts were working perfectly so maybe it's worth the cost. Parking spaces are parking space shape. All in all a reasonably pleasant car park experience. Four stars."
Walking tracker one of 12 apps banned by Google as users urged to delete themThere are plans for the car park, owned by NCP, to be demolished after it was described as 'run-down'. Plans indicate that student accommodation and flats will be built in its place. The car park was built in the late 1950s and features one continuous ramp which spirals around a lift and stairs in the middle. The car park has space for 550 cars at peak capacity. Last year, modern building conservationists launched a bid to try to save the multi-storey by asking for it to be listed, describing the design as a "classic". The 20th Century Society said the 'revolutionary' car park should be preserved.