Telford bed company ordered to pay £1,700 after fly-posting sale signs
A company has been ordered to pay more than £1,700 after illegally putting up a number of signs advertising a bed sale.
Pineapple Leisure appeared before magistrates sitting in Telford yesterday in the first case of its kind brought by Telford & Wrekin Council.
The court heard the company had fly-posted signs on lampposts and grass verges at various locations in Halesfield in May, June and August last year promoting a bed sale under the name of Pineapple Beds.
Before the case came to court, the company had received more than 45 fixed penalty notices – a penalty of £150 each – from Telford & Wrekin Council, but it continued to put signs up.
The owner of the business, Andrew Ford, pleaded guilty to four charges under Section 132 of the Highways Act 1980.
Pineapple Leisure was fined £800, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30, costs of £785.61 and compensation of £95.14.
Councillor Richard Overton, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for enforcement, said: “Fly-posting is an environmental crime that blights our borough.
“Our enforcement officers work with businesses and organisations to make sure any advertising does not become or perceived to be fly-posting. They can give advice, including where they may be placed to make sure they do not distract drivers.
“Issuing fines and taking cases to court are acts of last resort. It does, however, serve as a warning that fly-posting, as with all forms of environmental crime, is not acceptable.”
