Excuse me, I heard that parking in the UK requires payment in advance, is that right ?

The basic outdoor parking lots are pay after you park. Most indoor parking lots are like this.

If you get a card and lift the barrier, you will be charged later and pay when you leave. Generally, you pay at the machine at the exit of the parking lot. If there is no barrier when you enter, you will have to find the payment machine in the parking lot, buy a few hours for yourself, put the payment slip under the windshield of your car, and the police can see it when they check your car.

Both before and after payment are made at the machine. For those who choose to pay first, they need to estimate their pickup time in advance and usually buy some extra time. For those who choose to pay later, they need to insert the parking card into the machine and pay the fee according to the time. They are both easy, but it should be noted that some machines only accept coins.

I'll tell you a principle: parking lots with a barrier at the entrance are all post-payment, while those without a barrier and roadside parking are all pre-payment. It is recommended to use apps like pay by phone and easy park for payment.