Stafford traders' fury as A-boards are moved by council
Stafford traders have vowed to keep putting out their A-boards in the town centre – despite being told the displays were causing an obstruction.
Many businesses put out A-boards advertising their services – and those with premises on side streets off the main roads of Stafford town centre have said they are essential to signpost new customers towards their services.
But several traders have reported being visited by two people from Staffordshire County Council’s highways team last week. They added that boards had been moved from Market Square, Greengate Street and Gaolgate Street.
Helen Fisher, cabinet member for highways and transport at Staffordshire County Council, said: “Following concerns from members of the public, our highways team spoke with a small number of local businesses and helped them to reposition their A-boards to locations where they did not obstruct people using the town centre.
“Keeping the town centre both attractive and safe for retailers, shoppers and visitors alike is extremely important.
"Poorly positioned A-boards can make it particularly difficult for people with sight impairments, physical difficulties and those using wheelchairs and pushchairs – and could also obstruct emergency vehicles.”
But Tim Sandy, of The Grove Coffee House in St Mary’s Grove, questioned what was classed as an obstruction, as there had also been market stalls in the same area as the A-boards on the day of the visit.
He said: “They came round right in the middle of lunchtime saying ‘you have to take them off the street’. Half an hour later my A-boards were packed away at the side of Boots.
“They said we could have an A-board but outside the shop, and it must be displayed up against the shopfront. But the people who work in the side streets need people to know they are in the side streets.
“I asked how are the market stalls not an obstruction? When is an obstruction not an obstruction – that is the question.”
Ann Ager from The Bakehouse in Market Street said: “We put our A-board by the lamppost so it’s quite safe out of people’s way. We have had lots of people visiting the town who said they didn’t know we were there – you need to encourage people into the side streets or they miss the independent shops if they are not looking for them.
“We never had an opportunity to say how beneficial the signs were – there wasn’t even a consultation.”
Duncan Sandy from The Soup Kitchen in Church Lane said: “It’s so important to have a sign – like everybody we have to get people off the main street and we get people saying they found us because of our sign. If customers are outside the shop they have already found you.
“In retail 10,000 jobs have been lost this year alone, so to do this now when everyone is struggling is like the council is trying to make things harder. It’s a really terrible time to do it.”
Staffordshire County Council published a policy on the management of “commercial obstructions” in 2007.
The policy stated: “The widespread encroachment of portable advertising boards, retail/trade displays and street cafés onto public highways may be considered by some to be an unsightly nuisance, by the disabled to be a potential danger and by other traders as unfair, non-rated enlargements of a competitor’s business. They also constitute an obstruction of the highway which prevent its legitimate use, and are therefore illegal within the terms of the Highways Act 1980.
“Whilst all of these factors are acknowledged by Staffordshire County Council (SCC), it is also accepted that their controlled use can reduce their negative influence on the street scene, promote safer access for all highway users and disabled groups, assist in promoting tourism and maintaining the vitality of town centres and, by a combination of all of these factors, enhance the economic sustainability of both town, suburban and rural businesses and communities.”
