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Published:
May
24, 2012
Health and safety fears hit Jubilee bunting plans in Burnham-On-Sea
Patriotic
bunting will not be hung from lamp posts along Burnham-On-Sea
High Street during next month's Jubilee due to health and safety
concerns for pedestrians below, it has emerged this week.
 The
Chamber of Trade had hoped to install several hundred metres of
bunting between lighting columns and shops in the town centre
to add a splash of colour during the Queen's Jubilee celebrations.
However,
the group has been told that a number of risk assessments would
have to be carried out and that the lamp posts would have to be
stress-tested before the bunting could be hung up.
Jonathan Walter from Burnham Chamber of Trade told Burnham-On-Sea.com:
"Personally, I am disappointed that the County Council feels
there is a need to stress test lamp posts for something as lightweight
as bunting just because there are concerns the bunting might blow
down onto pedestrians. What damage can a bit of string and plastic
do?"
He
added that the Chamber of Trade had not intended to hang the bunting
across the High Street due to height restrictions, however he
explained: "We simply wanted to hang the bunting between
shops and lamp posts."
 The
Chamber is now planning to hang 750 metres of bunting along the
fronts of buildings along parts of the High Street, College Street
and Victoria Street instead.
Town
Councillor Phil Harvey added: "This is crazy. Stress testing
the lamp posts would obviously cost considerably more than the
bunting itself. It's important that the town centre should look
as welcoming as possible during the Jubilee."
Cllr
Peter Burridge-Clayton told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "We need
to go back to the County Council and discuss this further. I am
sure a solution can be found."
The
lighting columns in Burnham High Street are due to be replaced
with modern new lamp posts later this year. As recently reported
here, Burnham will
not be entering the Britain In Bloom competition this year due
to restrictions on flower baskets being hung from the lamp posts.
RELATED
LINKS:
Complete guide to Jubilee
celebrations in Burnham and Highbridge
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