Call for ban of fly-posting in Nailsea

Environmentalist Howard Blake has begun a one-man campaign to stop illegal advertising and fly posting in Nailsea.

Pensioner Mr Blake who has lived in Nailsea for more than 40 years is angry at the proliferation of fly posters, advertising banners and board appearing outside shops.

He said: “They are an eyesore and look scruffy and they are detrimental to the image of the town and in some cases an obstruction to people using the pavements.”

The retired local authority admin officer, of Silverlow Road, said: “It seems to be that many local traders and organisations take the view that any structure including road safety barriers, trees, pavements, lampposts and roadside verges are fair locations to promote their services or events.”

Armed with photographic examples of colourful business banners, am-dram production posters, craft promotional material and A-boards put up in inappropriate places Mr Blake attended Nailsea Town Council planning and environment committee meeting last week.

Mr Blake said: “I am becoming increasingly irritated by the number of advertising signs and posters being fixed to numerous locations throughout the town."

He said the posters and signs detracted from the work done by Nailsea in Bloom gardeners who have been busy planting borders and tubs to improve the look of the town centre.

Committee chairman James Tonkin said: “North Somerset Council does not allow banners to be put up on its land although they are permitted on private land providing they didn’t exceed a certain size.”

However, he was advised by the district council that its enforcement officer was currently on maternity leave and they was no-one to ‘police’ concerns at this time.

Mr Tonkin added: “North Somerset told me its priority is to fill the pot holes and it didn’t have the manpower to check on the signs.”

Because of the challenging economic situation councillors expressed some sympathy with shops trying to promote their businesses.

Councillor Clare Hunt said: “Business is not very good for some of these traders and they are doing everything to attract customers but everyone is irked by fly posters for events which are out-of-date.”

The committee heard that a board advertising a computer centre in Clevedon Road was legal because it was on private land but others at the junction of Queens Road and Trendlewood Road on council-owned railings was distracting to traffic and illegal.

Councillor Liz Frappel said the problem was a ‘legal minefield’.

Mr Tonkin said: “Let’s kick this issue into the longest piece of grass we can find because I know of one illegal banner it took eight weeks to remove.”

Mr Blake cited the Government’s Localism Bill to tackle graffiti and fly-posting in rural areas.

He added: “It seems that councilors who live in this town and who must see these signs on a regular basis are not concerned enough to do anything about them.

“I find this very surprising.”

After some debate the committee decided to seek powers to remove illegal signs.

Nailsea & District Chamber of Trade and Commerce president Gilly Chu said after the meeting: ““If it is nasty slogans or graffiti I could understand someone complaining.

“In these difficult times we need to support our businesses in whatever way we can even if this means allowing free street advertising.

“It was one of Prime Minister David Cameron’s platforms to stop all the bureaucracy and let people get on with their lives.

“Nailsea is a wonderful place with an active horticultural organisation responsible for our floral streetscape.

“Of course event organisers should be reminded to remove out-of-date posters promptly but I would ask the person who has complained to get real as there are more important issues.”

Nailsea Barbers has become a local legend with their amusing sometimes politically incorrect A-boards.

Their one-off topical slogans chalked on a black A-board in the High Street have become a local talking point, she added. 

·     Councillors expressed concern at fly-tipping along a historic bridleway in Nailsea. Bags of grass and hedge cuttings are being dumped at Golden Valley Bridleway. The path links Nailsea Park to Trendlewood Way. Nailsea Town Council chairman Rod Lees said: "It is amazing when people have a regular green bag collection they will dump their garden waste on a public footpath within yards of their homes.”