Sir – On Saturday, September 28, I arranged for a 78-year-old friend suffering from sciatica to accompany myself and my partner for a meal at The Mitre. We planned to park in Broad Street to give him just a short walk.

The meal was for 7.30pm. We arrived on Broad Street to find a workman coning off each parking space as it became vacant.

The sign displayed stated there was no parking in bays 93 and 94 from 10 to 11am the next day, Sunday, September 29 to ‘allow filming to take place safely’. He told me in an aggressive manner “the sign is wrong, you can’t park here, there is going to be filming”.

I pointed out that it was now just 7.05pm on the day before. He was not local and could not direct me to alternative parking.

His colleague joined him stating they were from LA Security and threatened to have my car towed away. Finally in Keble Road I found a space. My friend could only walk a short distance with a walking stick before having to take a break because of the pain.

On the way I checked the information notice underneath the sign. This gave a name to contact who, when I phoned, stated it was nothing to do with him and he had not filmed there for two weeks.

If parking is suspended the signage should be correct and spaces should not be cordoned off until the prohibited time and certainly not almost 15 hours beforehand.

With little street parking available in such circumstances can there not be temporary alternative parking spaces or at least signs showing where the nearest alternative parking is?

Bernard McKenna, Headington