The charity which runs Keswick Convention is seeking compensation after claiming it lost around £50,000 in car park revenue because of a controversial new payment system.
Allerdale Borough Council introduced cashless machines at all its car parks in Keswick last year but the change led to problems as motorists struggled to pay electronically or by card.
The high-tech system was ditched this summer but not before Keswick Ministries claims it lost roughly about £50,000 at the Rawnsley Centre and pencil factory car parks which Allerdale runs for it.
David Sawday, of Keswick Ministries, confirmed that a letter had been sent to Allerdale to highlight the issue.
“The new machines did not seem to work and it got to point where people stopped using them,” said Mr Sawday.
However, he stressed that any recompense from the council would be sought via a possible insurance claim rather than from public funds.
“We don’t want the ratepayer picking up the bill,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, trustees of Keswick Ministries are interested in installing a new cross-river bridge to link the pencil factory site, where the convention’s new base is being created, with the Crosthwaite Road end of Fitz Park.
The bridge would cost around £250,000 and could lead to a walkway being formed along the river.
The idea though is only at an early stage and remains on hold, not yet ready for a planning application, said Mr Sawday, who is leading the multi-million-pound redevelopment of the vacant pencil factory.
“There is no plan to move forward with the bridge at the moment,” he added.
