Emporium owner in wrangle with council over sign

* Paul Taylor outside his Chapel Emporium with the controversial sign. 

The owner of a Llangollen second-hand business is at odds with council chiefs over exactly where he can display a sign to advertise his business.

Because his Chapel Emporium is located just off a lay-by on Abbey Road and out of sight of the main shopping area in nearby Castle Street, Paul Taylor has painted a small board to draw customers in.

But because this is not easily visible if he puts it right outside his showroom in a converted chapel he has positioned it, with the permission of the owner, outside the nearby newsagents shop.

But he says he has been informed by Denbighshire County Council that he is not allowed to do this and must keep the board directly outside Chapel Emporium.

Paul said: “As we are situated just slightly off the beaten track, a sign to let people know where we are is a massive help getting customers to us.

“Unfortunately,  the council have said if we have our sign outside the newsagent and sandwich bar, it will be removed and taken away.

“Since being told to remove the sign weeks ago our trade has dropped dramatically especially with visitors to the town who don't know where we are.

“After seeking some advice we were told that the council cannot discriminate against just us, they'd have to tell every shop, pub, cafe etc which puts anything outside to remove theirs as well, and not just in Llangollen but the whole of Denbighshire.”

He added: “What harm is a sign? It's a small town and hard enough to run a business and try make a living as it is.

“We also have 10 stall-holders from as far as Liverpool who also rely on customers coming to us, and they can't believe how pathetic this place is with some very silly rules on having a sign out to advertise a local business in its own town.

“We are doing our bit for the environment by saving and re-using old furniture and other things from being skipped and going to landfill .”

A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: "An officer from the council's Streetscene department spoke to an employee at the business.

"The signs were placed approximately 50 metres away from the front of the business so contravened the Highways Act. 

"Advice was provided on how they could approach Llangollen Town Council and county councillors to find help on how to attract business.

"Any 'A' boards in the high street placed directly outside a business and which belong to the business are acceptable, as long as they do not cause an obstruction. This applies to all high street businesses."