Loss of advert board costs Bridgnorth pub landlord dearly

A Shropshire pub landlord claims he has lost hundreds of pounds in trade after an A-board advertising his business was removed.

Bryn Masterman, who runs the Old Castle Pub in Bridgnorth, said his evening trade had slumped by up to 50 per cent since the council took away the A-board. He said the sign helped bring trade to West Castle Street by directing visitors down the road and "hopefully" to his pub.

The sign, which had been placed at the top of West Castle Street at the bottom of the High Street, was removed by Shropshire Council on June 29.

He said: "We had a letter on the Tuesday to say it was being removed and it was. We have since retrieved the sign from the council but we have not put it back."

Mr Masterman said the sign was helpful in the evenings when people might not necessarily know they were open and offering meals. He said he had lost between a third and half of his evening trade, which was about a couple of hundred pounds.

Mr Masterman said weekends were better for business because of visitors going to the Severn Valley Railway.

Angry

He said since the sign had been taken down he had had no correspondence from the council.

Mr Masterman said they had had a meeting with the council, which was supposed to come back to traders with further information, but claimed it had not. He said: "I am very angry about the way they have gone about it without consultation, without taking businesses' individual needs into account."

Mr Masterman said they felt they were losing out when there were chains like Costa Coffee, Wetherspoons and Subway coming into the town. He said: "It's very difficult when you are not able to compete with them."

Gareth Proffitt, Shropshire Council spokesman said today: "Under its pilot A-board policy, which is operating in Bridgnorth and Ludlow, Shropshire Council reserves the right to remove an A-board, after giving prior notice to the board owner."

Shropshire Council introduced the pilot scheme in a bid to address concerns about advertising boards obstructing the pavement.

By Lisa Rowley