This Is Guernsey

By Nicci Martel

ANOTHER business owner has criticised Environment’s decision to ban A-boards along Les Banques.

Tim Chandler (pictured), of Piccolo Morso, received no warning before department employees removed his sign from the grass along the seafront and brought it into his shop.

‘It’s ridiculous that they felt it was so high-priority that they had to send somebody round to deal with it. I remember seeing boards there 40 years ago advertising the go-karting, so I don’t understand why they’ve suddenly decided to do anything about it now,’ said Mr Chandler, who opened his sandwich shop about five weeks ago.

‘I’d only just bought a new A-board and spent a couple of hundred quid on it, too. It’s a shame because they do catch people’s attention – and some people are allowed them on the Bridge and in Town.’

Mr Chandler said the owner of the shop next door, Delices d’Anjou, was also annoyed by Environment’s decision. He was not available for comment.

Last week, Nelia Lythgoe, of Nelia’s Bakery in Victoria Avenue, said the decision was petty and narrow-minded. She, too, was forced to remove her sign from the grass area.

A spokesman for Environment said the grass along Les Banques had been designated a site of nature conservation importance and was particularly so because it provided a natural foreground to the view across to Herm.

It is also specifically named under The Places of Recreation Ordinance, 1975, as a prescribed area in which the placing of advertising material is forbidden.

‘The Environment Department therefore recently wrote to all the companies concerned as it appreciated that most would not have realised that advertising on the land was not permitted and a staff member personally visited each premises so that traders could take the opportunity to discuss the matter further if they wished to do so,’ said the spokesman.

‘All the traders approached by the department, with the exception of Mrs Lythgoe, were understanding of the reasons for the request to remove the boards and the Environment Department’s responsibility to make every effort to protect the appearance of this special area.’

Article posted on 15th April, 2008 - 11.00am