24/03/10 - Light goes out on illegal shopfront

A city centre shop keeper has had to fork out more than £500 in fines and costs after failing to remove an illegal shop  sign.

Naweed Khan was handed the penalty at Gloucester Magistrates Court after being prosecuted by Gloucester City Council for breaches in advertisement regulations.

Mr Khan is the proprietor of Tennessee Fried Chicken, in Eastgate Street, which sits in the  Eastgate and St Michael& 39;s Conservation area.

Council officials had been trying for more than 18 months to get Mr Khan to replace a large internally illuminated shop sign with something more in keeping with the area.

The prosecution is part of a council crack down on shops in Eastgate Street. It has been coupled with moves to provide grants, help and advice to local traders in one of the main roads into the city centre.

A total of £46,000 has been given to local shopkeepers  who applied for funding to help them make improvements to their shop fronts. Other shops have removed unsightly signs and shutters.

The campaign was sparked by work done by the Evening and Nightime Economy Group made up of business representatives, the city council and the police.

They have been working to improve the city centre and make it more family friendly in the evenings.

Council Leader, Paul James, commented: “ There have been complaints about the appearance of  Eastgate Street which we were determined to tackle. This is a key route into the city centre."

“Over the past 18 months we have looked at more than 40 properties and a variety of changes and improvements have been made. Prosecution is obviously a last resort but I must say that I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of there being some more."

 “People cannot ignore planning regulations and if they insist on doing so then there could be a high price to pay.”

 Mr Khan was fined £350 and £165 costs and will also have to replace the illegal sign.

 END

24th March 2010