Call for action to stop Whitchurch flyposter blight

Landlords of empty shops in Whitchurch are being urged to set up displays in an effort to stop people sticking up posters and leaflets advertising events – which often remain long after the event has taken place.

Councillors say the problem is so bad there are up to eight posters on some shops.

They believe that if window displays were put up in the empty units it could put people off sticking posters on the window in front.

Rob Hewson, deputy mayor of the town, said: "On one shop there are eight flyposting papers.

"The shopkeepers are very accommodating in advertising events but people are coming in and putting posters on empty shop windows, it is making our town look a mess.

"These people have got to be stopped.

"There is enough shops in this town, there's no need to put it on empty shops, too."

Mr Hewson said a number of residents have come to him with their concerns.

He said one problem is that posters for events are being left on windows well after the event has happened.

He said it has been an ongoing problem for years but the town is looking particularly bad at the moment.

Posters are being put up for things like the circus and town mayor Peggy Mullock said one solution could be to get new window displays in the empty shops.

She said: "If we could persuade landlords who have empty shops to allow their shop windows to be used for display purposes, that might solve the problem.

"Opposite the Civic Centre the empty shop there has been used to display the plans for the centre revamp and posters are not put up in front of it.

"It looks so much better if there is something in there otherwise people think they are free to use it as they want."

She echoed Councillor Hewson's concerns that the posters are having a big impact on the town.

"People put these posters up, they should be responsible enough to take them down afterwards," she added.

"People start to deface them, bits come off them and it looks untidy. It just spoils the look of places."