Companies win advertising board fight

Buy photos » Alex Faulkner will now be allowed to have his board back on the pavement. Picture by Marcus Mingins 0313022MMR.

BUSINESSES have won their battle to place advertising boards outside their shops.

Angry traders contacted the Standard earlier this year after receiving letters warning them they could be fined up to £2,500 if they did not remove the boards from the pavement of Unicorn Hill.

Concerns were raised about a dip in passing trade, with some saying businesses looked as though they had closed down when shoppers looked down the hill from Church Green.

But Redditch Borough Council has now contacted companies to inform them they are able to put their boards out again following talks with Worcestershire County Council, which owns the pavement.

Coun Rebecca Blake, responsible for community safety, said: "The council has just held talks with the county council. We do not want to be prosecuting businesses, particularly shopkeepers, for this type of offence.

"So this is why we are working with the county council to find a legal solution for A-board and advertising use.

"Until we have worked out a way forward, our temporary stance is to not take any enforcement action on Unicorn Hill."

Alex Faulkner, owner of Harvey's Dry Cleaning, said: "We are chuffed to bits with this decision. It seems that common sense has prevailed at last."

Vintage Loves owner Emma Sutor added: "I am very disappointed at the amount of fuss which has been caused over nothing but very happy to be able to have my board back out."

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