Published: August 18, 2008
Highbridge shop owner hits out at "heavy-handed" council in sign row

The owners of a Highbridge angling shop have hit out at the "heavy-handed" tactics of the district council after being told to remove a small promotional sign outside their store or face legal action.

Sedgemoor District Council asked the owners of 'The Fishing Tackle Man', to remove a yellow advertising sign placed on a fence near the entrance to the Morland Industrial Park, where the shop is based.

Pam Berry, a Sedgemoor District Council enforcement officer, wrote to Ann Jeffries (pictured with the sign) earlier this month, explaining that the sign is unlawful under the 2007 Town and Country Planning Act's regulations.

The letter stated: "We have received a complaint regarding your signage and are formally requesting you discontinue the display of illegal advertising within seven days. If not, I will have no alternative but to instruct the council solicitor to commence legal proceedings."

The shop has removed the sign, but is unhappy about the way the council handled the matter.

"The wording of the letter was strong and heavy handed," Ann told Burnham-On-Sea.com. "I would hope the council would come and discuss matters like this."

"In the current financial climate the district council should be trying to help small businesses find solutions to problems like this."

"Instead, they haven't wanted to discuss the matter and our suggestion to place the sign in a less visible position was quickly dimissed."

In the meantime, the shop says its trade has "gone down almost 20 per cent" since the sign was removed.

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