An Arbroath businessman has accused Angus Council of taking a heavy-handed approach in a sign row.
Ian Watson said he was ”gobsmacked” when an enforcement letter arrived through his door saying his shop sign is breaching planning regulations.
Mr Watson opened the Arbroath Stove Centre nine months ago and said the sign has been up on the gable end of the property since it began trading. He said the letter is the first contact he has had from the council about the sign being displayed without consent.
”In the current economic climate, Angus Council should be doing everything they can to encourage small businesses to thrive,” he said. ”If they are serious about wanting to keep businesses in this area then this is not the approach to be taking.
”All you do is drive businesses out of the town and Arbroath can’t afford to have more empty shop units. You can’t complain about the shops closing down with one hand and then put the squeeze on small businesses which are trying to get this town back on its feet.”
The planning enforcement officer has asked Mr Watson provide details of his proposed course of action within 14 days.
The businessman continued: ”Nobody from planning has come to visit us in the nine months we have been trading this letter was the first we’ve heard about this.
”If you look at the way it’s set out and the tone of the letter it is like a final demand. It is a very heavy-handed approach.
”All we have done is put our sign on top of what was the existing sign on the building. There was already a timber hoarding on the side of the building when we moved in.
”A previous sign had been up and all we have done is put our sign in the space I’m gobsmacked they would take this approach.
”I have not created a new sign space. I have simply put my sign on top of the existing signage. If they don’t like the sign or it is something illegal they could have come and spoken to me.
”I can’t see what is wrong with putting a sign up to advertise my business. We are unique in what we do, we are bringing business to Angus and we have created seven jobs.”
A spokesman for Angus Council said: ”It came to our notice that Mr Watson was displaying a sign on a wall in contravention of the Town & Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984 and we have contacted him as we are obliged to do, using our standard process.
”We are happy to discuss the matter further with Mr Watson.”