Ashton Leisure Park is a restaurant and entertainment complex, just west of Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside.
The leisure options here are a 14-screen Cineworld cinema and a Hollywood Bowl bowling alley. In 2014 the cinema was upgraded with the addition of a giant IMAX screen.
In 2015 the park’s restaurants selection expanded with the opening of a new three-unit section. Occupants are Five Guys, Bella Italia, and Prezzo. Five Guys is an American burger restaurant where customers can customise their burgers with as many free toppings as they wish. Bella Italia and Prezzo specialise in Italian dishes.
Other places to eat and drink here are Eat Inn (Chinese buffet), Harvester (grill), Frankie & Benny’s (American Italian), KFC, Nando’s (peri peri chicken), and Chiquito (Tex Mex).
The Village Manchester Ashton lies just outside the main entrance to Ashton Leisure Park. It’s a large hotel with a restaurant, bar, Starbucks outlet, and a fitness centre with 25 metre heated swimming pool. The Ash Tree Farm pub and carvery is also here.
Sainsbury’s Ashton Moss supermarket just east of the park. It’s open seven days a week. Opening times are Monday to Friday 7 am to 11 pm, Saturday 7 am to 10 pm, and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm. IKEA’s Manchester store is also nearby.
To visit Ashton Leisure Park by car, leave the M60 at Junction 23 and drive towards Manchester. After about 400 yards turn right onto Lord Sheldon Way. Owners of satellite navigation systems can use the postcode OL7 0PG.
Ashton West Metrolink Station is situated on Lord Sheldon Way, just a short walk from the leisure park. There are direct tram services to Manchester city centre and Ashton-under-Lyne.
The walk from Aston town centre (Ashton-under-Lyne Train Station and Ashton Bus Station) to Ashton Leisure Park takes about 15 minutes.
I was going to visit there tonight, but given the reviews, I’m afraid it is a no no from me!
I visited here with my wife, a rare afternoon together, for a lovely meal at Frankie and Benny’s. Got back to my van to find a parking ticket. Thanks a lot. The last time I go there. The reason for the ticket, well for the crime of not having a car. I drive a van. Sorry for being a hard working member of the public Ashton Moss.
I have also just had to pay a parking charge at this venue. The parking attendants are hawks and wait in places where they know to catch people. It’s easy to make mistakes where there is no lighting and old, almost non existent signage on floor. It’s a dreadful place. They must be making a fortune off good honest customers who are being fleeced of their hard earned cash. I will never go here again and I’m telling all my friends to avoid this place.
Thanks for the information. I was going to use Ashton as a local shopping/restaurant place to visit due to Crown Point Denton issuing fines for visiting their shopping centre for over the 4hrs ‘allowed’ (restaurant & shops) but now I will not bother. I cannot understand these shopping centres thinking it is good business practice to issue these fines to their customers, and I cannot understand why the govt is allowed to pass on our DVLA details to these sorts of companies. Rip-off Britain I suppose. Govt does nothing about it.
Be very careful whilst visiting this leisure park. They have taken away hundreds of parking spaces to build new restaurants, leaving a very congested parking area. On Christmas Eve 2016 I witnessed the parking wardens book lots of drivers for parking where they could, whilst spending their hard earned money in the various places on the complex. It’s totally disgusting. What are people supposed to do. I’d rather travel somewhere else from now on and car wasn’t even booked I just feel angry with the way they doing care for their customers.
I have also received a ticket on Sunday for not parking within the bays. All the bays were taken so I parked my car near to the harvester. Not obstructing anyone, no yellow road markings or nothing, no signs near by and thought it would be ok to park there!!! Obviously UKPC are quids in and making a gold mine out of this and it’s unfair. I am definitely appealing as the signage is not clear and I didn’t walk past any sign whilst going to the cinemas. Be warned people! I am really not happy.
Just stumbled across this thread. I’ve got to say, I wish this company ran the car park at the Trafford centre. It would give me immense pleasure, seeing all the illegal and inconsiderate parkers, getting tickets there. I’ve been to Ashton Moss loads of times. Funnily enough, I’ve always parked between the lines and never received a ticket. Its always a busy car park but if you drive round the back of the cinema, there’s plenty of room. Bit of a walk though, for some people.
Parked here before Christmas to go to the cinema and Chiquitos, I am disabled and parked in a disabled parking bay. My badge slipped off the dash when I slammed the door to get out so I received a ticket. I wrote to them explaining and enclosed a copy of my blue badge. I heard nothing back so assumed it was cleared and I have just received an £150 fine from a debt recovery company. I thought the car park was free didn’t see any signs advising of anything else! I’m disgusted these parking companies get away with murder. Do these leisure parks realise they are just turning people away with the UKPC’s unhanded tactics?
just ignore the letters. they will give up after a while, remember do not reply or call them. regards
Hopefully some helpful advice.
Whilst, yes, there are a lot of signs telling you the parking regulations, they are not the clearest to read and you need to be up close to do it. The parking attendant is also rather ‘keen’.
Back in November on a dark, rainy Sunday afternoon, I too parked alongside another car next to a wooden bin compound. It happens that this (at the back of Nando’s) is a staff area and requires a permit, hence I got a ticket. I have just heard that my appeal has been allowed but this was only after using a specialized company (£15 fee) who appealed on a legal technicalities I would never have known.
The thing is that at the back of Nando’s, the signage is far from clear and the ‘staff area’ signs are about 80% the same as the generic signs and therefore it is easy not to see them. It is also possible to park in this area and walk to e.g. The cinema without passing one of the ‘staff signs’.
I will be writing to the site managers to ask them to improve the clarity of their signage but for the moment please be careful. It can be an expensive visit.
I was recently at frankie & bennys for my daughters 6th birthday. We travelled by VIP minibus as a treat for her & her friends and got a ticket as the minibus took up nearly 2 spaces. My daughter has a disabled badge and as we couldn’t fit in the disabled bays the minibus dropped us off at the door and then went off to park. Seeing as though the car park is free and my daughter has a disabled badge, which was clearly displayed, we shall be disputing the ticket!
I agree that people should be able to park within 2 lines, even us ladies! but they need to make the car park more accessible for other uses; bikers, minibus users or maybe even coaches! Bad press is never good but we certainly won’t be using the facilities is a rush again, especially if in anything bigger than a car!
The van you use must have been a long wheel base. My parents are disabled and have a wheelchair accessible van themselves and have never had a problem.
Regarding the earlier comment by Dave to fraudulently photocopy a disabled badge. What a disgusting person.
Tip: Don’t be bullied by the evil private car park companies. Ignore any ticket. Just do not respond to any of the bullying letters. They will drop it as they would not like to face a judge in the small claims court, they have a very weak legal case for charging you.
Just got back from eating at frankie and bennies at Ashton moss. There wereno spaces and we have avert large car sparked behind the restaurant nextel the ins not obstructing anyone. When we’re turned parkinticketsaywewerenot parkedinabay.absolutely junta money spinning rip off. We did regularl butaftertonit won’t ever go back.
I agree entirely with Carol Fotheringham. Not all of us want to park like packed sardines and gather car park battle scars from careless people who open their car doors into your nice car. I parked behind the Harvester on what looks like a cul-de-sac/service road. There were no markings, no signs and I was not impeding access to anything. It did not even look like part of the car park. Sure enough, I got a parking ticket for 40 pounds if I pay within 14 days! This seems very unjust to me, especially as there were no signs or markings where I parked. It seems to me the private parking company are onto a real money-spinner here. Anyone with any fairness or ethics would have simply left me a note saying that I shouldn’t park there and give the reasons. The simple reason given on the ticket was ‘not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space.’ No wonder parking wardens get punched!! Top tip…appeal the ticket but send a photocopy of someone’s disabled badge and claim that you needed extra space to be able to maneouvre your aged relative and wheelchair!
I disagree with you.
tough luck you should use your eyes next time 🙂 haha
I have just taken my boys to the cinema at Ashton Moss, and got a parking ticket. We wont be going back. You would think somewhere that has places you take children bowling and to the cinema would have parking spaces wide enough to get the family out of the car?
We go to Cineworld at Ashton every Christmas Eve and then on to Eat Inn. We’ve never had a ticket or cold food and the food is lovely.
I go to Ashton Moss a lot! I’ve never been fined and I drive a Ford Escort (not smallest car in the world) and always have fun!
Go to the cinemas or bowling and then go to either Frankie and Bennys or Nandos because they are the best. Eat Inn is not very nice unless you like cold food.
Nandos is just pizza really. I don’t like it that much.
The cinema is not cheap but neither is bowling any more.
For anybody unsure about the parking at Ashton Moss follow the simple rules and you will be fine. Rule 1 don’t park in a disabled bay if you don’t have a permit (you will get a ticket no excuses). Rule 2 double yellows – you will be fine parking on them as long as you don’t leave your vehicle. If you leave your vehicle then again expect a ticket. Rule 3 cars/bike’s park in between the white lines and you will be ok. Vans have your front bumper either at the white line or the entrance line to the space. Rule 4 do not park at the back of the eateries in the staff car park area. If you are unsure where to go find a space where you have 3 while lines around you and park in the middle. My personal pet hate is in a disabled area without a permit. You deserve your ticket how ever long you parked there or what ever excuses you may come up with. The facilities are meant for everyone who comes on site. The ones who don’t adhere to the rules get fined. Bikes, cycles and motorbikes – there are parking areas either side of the cinema.
Never had a parking fine on this site and do think people should think of others when parking. But this a leisure park and needs to attract people back. These fines seem high. Ashton Town Centre has some of the strictest parking and yet you could pay for two spots for much less. Maybe someone should rethink the level of punishment to the "crime" and some self-righteous people should be less bitter. Pride comes just before a fall.
There are no bike parking spaces in the whole development. It is 2010, this kind of poor quality planning is unacceptable. I had to take my business elsewhere. There must (or at least should) be laws about proving adequate facilities for those of us choosing to get to these kind of places by ethical means.
Parked my Saab 93 sports-wagon went to the cinema and a meal at Nando’s and got a 45 pound fine and 50 pound administration fee from my company. I did get a lovely photo of my rear tyre touching the white line as a memento. Not a little complex, though if the only press they get is due to harsh way the ex SS office parking attendants go about their job of work something is wrong.
I agree with both Dave and Chris. It’s not hard to park in between the lines, and boys I am a women. I have been Ashton Moss lots of times for food and pictures and think it’s a great day/night for fun with friends.
You need to learn how to park, then you wouldn’t get the fines would you?
I totally agree with Dave. Use one car parking space and then no fine; easy! And yes ladies I do have kids and drive a 4×4 but I have no problems parking!!! Be more considerate to other users of the car park. There are enough spaces!!
I have been here loads of times, never been fined, but have never noticed any warning signs either – bet they are really tiny.
I completely agree with Linda. I went to the cinema on a Sunday evening, then to the KFC after. We parked in the empty section of the car park to avoid others scratching my car – as often happens in places like this. My husband had also parked slightly over the line. This resulted in a parking ticket for 45 pounds, in an empty car park. this is ridiculous. If it were a busy Saturday and we were preventing others from parking fair enough, but in an empty car park, this was just a pathetic excuse for extorting money from patrons, which we will never be again. I will be disputing the ticket, based on the grounds that their rules and regulations for using the car park are not clearly displayed.
Dave, guess you’ve got no kids then so you’ve probably not struggled to get a child in or out of a car with very little to room to open the door!
hey linda i have 7 kids and drive a fiat Punto my kicks sit on top of each other and they are fat gamers i am sorry but i can not afford a nice posh car like you so please accept the fact that i struggle with life and even with 5 fat kids my car still goes in between the lines
Hey Linda – maybe you should learn to park properly then you wouldn’t be getting fined left right and centre would you? The lines are there for a reason.
Car parking facilities are extensive but there are no mother and child parking bays. If you also manage to park over a line to try to give yourself more room to get your child out you will get a fine of 40 pounds from the parking Gestapo. Overall a place to avoid.