Some shop owners in Burnham-On-Sea could soon be asked to remove advertising boards from pavements in the town.
While the owners of the boards pictured on this page are abiding by town council rules, a number of other businesses are not.
The issue this week prompted a fresh debate among town councillors about enforcement of the rules.
Town Improvements Committee Chairman Louise Parkin said: “The current rules state that businesses who are located away from the High Street do not place their advertising boards along the High Street – but a few traders are ignoring this.”
Town clerk Eileen Shaw said she receives a steady flow of complaints from traders regarding the signs.
Mayor Eric Gill told this week’s meeting: “There may be a few sour grapes on the part of a few traders, but we have to be fair here and give everyone a level playing field.”
Cllr Neville Jones added that the location of the boards is important in keeping the town’s High Street uncluttered.
“These boards should be sited close to where businesses are based. If they’re not, traders could start placing them anywhere – even next to the fountain half a mile away.”
There are no plans to completely ban all advertising boards, but councillors are considering a crack down on those that infringe the rules.
John Edwards, Chairman of Burnham’s Chamber Of Trade, suggested that finger post signs be introduced around the town pointing the way to shops.
“A good compromise would be to ask traders based in the side streets to remove their advertising boards and buy a space on these official finger posts instead,” he said. “That way, we keep everyone happy.”
The Chamber Of Trade plans to consult with shop owners during the coming months to investigate the issue further.
