Artist settles parking ticket battle

AN ARTIST has settled an 18-month battle with Torridge District Council over a disputed parking ticket.

At one point bailiffs took some of Shan Miller's paintings from a Bideford art gallery.

Ms Miller, of Mill Street, Torrington said: "A bailiff is never supposed to seize the tools of your trade.

"By taking my paintings – which I display for commissioning purposes – they have taken away my ability to earn."

Bailiffs, instructed by Torridge District Council, took seven paintings from Bideford Art Gallery on November 14 last year, she said.

Ms Miller had refused to pay a £40 parking fine issued in Torrington town centre more than 18 months ago.

She said: "They took £9,275 worth of paintings for a ticket worth £40.

"Frankly the whole thing was like an old Carry On film, except I was definitely not laughing.

"I think the use of bailiffs was unnecessary."

Ms Miller, who received her training under the late Plymouth-based artist Robert Lenkiewicz in the early 1990s, said: "A bailiff is never supposed to seize the tools of your trade.

"By taking my paintings, which I display for commissioning purposes, they have taken away my ability to earn. The case was heard in the county court in Barnstaple on February 10.

The council came to a settlement with Ms Miller, which she is legally bound not to comment on.

Torridge District Council said the tickets were issued and unpaid, which resulted in bailiff action.

It said that the matter is now settled to everyone's satisfaction.