Road sign rumpus for Shropshire pub

A licensee has accused his local council of "double standards" after it removed his roadsigns on the basis they are a danger to motorists.

Phil Wright, licensee at the Baron of Beef, in Bucknell, Shropshire, has had his signs taken away by Herefordshire Council after he replaced them last year with signs that had been there for more than 20 years.

"We feel that it is grossly unfair for our business," said Phil. "We now have no signs on the main A4113 which makes it much harder for customers to find us."

Phil replaced the signs last year on the A4113 and applied for planning permission. However the council has refused permission and a planning appeal was thrown out.

He added: "We have seen a downturn in business since the signs have been taken down."

Despite this other tourism signs for pubs are still in place, says Phil. "It's just double standards by the council," he said.

He is now considering seeking compensation for the loss of business.

Stewart Barton, streetscene manager at Herefordshire Council, said the signs were a danger to drivers obstructing their visibility to junctions.

He added: "There are signs to Bucknell from the A4113, where the pub is based, therefore if the pub is widely advertised the pub shouldn't miss out on business."

He also confirmed there were plans to remove other unauthorized signs from the A4113 and any attempts to resurrect these signs would result in prosecution.

The case is similar to that of the Black Dog in Chilmark, Wiltshire last year, which was asked to take down its sign on the by Wiltshire Council. However the licensees won an appeal, on the grounds that the sign, which had been there for 30 years had been key to the survival of its rural pub.