Advertising board crackdown in Cheltenham town centre given the go ahead
TRADERS who clutter the streets with unlicensed advertising boards are facing a severe crackdown on breaking the rules.
Enforcement is due to be stepped up on illegal A-boards after Cheltenham Borough Council agreed to a new water tight policy as part of a bid to clear up the town.
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BADGED BOARDS ONLY: Allan Taylor, owner of Grosvenor Butchers with the board he used to use. He now shares his licensed A-board with three businesses
It has been estimated that there are currently more than 100 unlicensed boards, and critics believe they pose a hazard to shoppers who could trip over.
As a result, every licensed A-board will have to display a consent badge under the new policy, which will show a unique registration number, the agreed location for the board, agreed size and expiry date.
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The council is hoping the new badges will make it easier to identify traders who are operating outside the law.
And anyone found to be bending the rules will be targeted by the authority's licensing enforcement team.
Councillor Peter Jeffries (LD, Springbank), cabinet member for housing and safety, has been instrumental in getting the new policy agreed.
He said: "This new policy will assist applicants and it will also assist the council in properly using its powers in relation to these things.
"All of these activities have an impact on how our town looks and feels."
Councillor Jacky Fletcher (C, Benhall and The Reddings), said the council's enforcement of the new policy had to be "sound and robust and not hit and miss".
The A-board issue has been a long-running headache for many traders, particularly those based "off the beaten track" who rely on the advertisements to drive footfall.
Allan Taylor, the owner of Grosvenor Butchers in Grosvenor Terrace just off the High Street, shares his licensed A-board with three other businesses to avoid clutter.
He said: "At one point we had six A-boards in a row here. I believe that the badge on the A-board is a good idea. If you are in the High Street, why do you need an A-board; everyone can see your shop when they go by? It is the ones off the beaten track that need A-boards."
The rules will come into force on April 1 this year.
9 Comments
by elgoog
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 5:13PM
“Another way to get the cash to pay for the "essential frontline services" such as twinning which we all desperately need.
And it helps to provide employment for people like Town centre manager and enforcement officials.”
by DEvans
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 4:49PM
“Dear Mr CBC
there has been an illegal A board on the pavemt outside the town hal for the last two days for the temporray food and drink show
Its right under yoour own noses and its still there now
You are a complete bunch of morons - do you wonder whey every one hates you so much?”
by dibblebibble
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 3:10PM
“Don't forget people, when the traders pay for the licence for these A boards, by a miracle of science the "danger" to the public disappears!
Amazing how £376 softens danger to the public!
Money making scam by the Council, our Glorious leaders again.”
by disco2disco
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 12:38PM
“http://tinyurl.com/bxa9sts
Initial fee for A-board application = £376
Fee for a tank (yes a tank!) = £201
Fee per chair per year = £84
So much for a cafe society in Cheltenham.”
by raggeh
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 12:06PM
“Such a joke. I reckon the cost behind all of this needless regulation will end up outweighing the money its attemptig to bring in. Seriously what is wrong with an A-board? I see one, I think "Ooh, that shop is selling products X and Y..."
As for tripping over - incredible. How about a raising traffic bollard in the street - when some old bloke managed to be tripped by that he was ridiculed by all and sundry and the council said something along the lines of "Nah, it's fine." If someone is going to trip over an A-board, then they're just as likely to trip on a standard bollard in the street (of which there are loads in Cheltenham), a litter bin - hell, I'd imagine they'd end up walking into the side of the actual shop itself, so why not get rid of those?? High street stores are dropping like flies and all Cheltenham can do is make it even harder for those who are struggling to remain.”
by supernova1
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 9:23AM
“This is just a money making scam, pure and simple.
If we lived in Italy, the mafia would go around collecting payments.
How come you can have a legal licensed A board?
If it's dangerous having 'more than 100 unlicensed boards', then it will still be dangerous having ten.
If you look at the article, it's peppered with Councillors using PC jargon like 'the new policy had to be "sound and robust....................'
Firstly, Councillors were part-time volunteers years ago, now they are our new street Police.
Secondly, look up the words sound and robust, and they have absolutely no commonsense interpretation of a badge scheme.”
by Matt1006
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 8:59AM
“Health & Safety nightmare. Where will it all end? Probably with the bosses of the compensation claims companies (a.k.a. ambulance chasers) becoming even richer than they already are.
If there are so many existing unlicensed boards on the streets, doesn't that suggest the existing monitoring service provided by CBC in this regard is (was) not fit for purpose? Now they're bringing in new rules, because they couldn't enforce their old rules. So will the new system be any better?
We see stories about this on a regular basis, so I don't expect this to be the last we read about this.”
by Wassisname
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 8:17AM
“Things to trip over? How about adding uncollected waste, fixed seats, fixed waste bins, beggars, cafe furniture, charity workers, dogs on leads, dodgy pavements, other shoppers, kids in pushchairs etc; I don't think I'm going to go out any more. Too dangerous.”
by Bonkim2003
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 8:04AM
“These boards add colour to city streets and also help businesses - why is the council acting silly?”