City of York Council call for a city-wide A-board ban

10:00am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Mark Stead, Political Reporter

A COUNCIL scrutiny group is to recommend to city leaders that a proposed ban on advertising A-boards in the centre of York should ultimately be extended to other areas.

City of York Council is set to create a “zero-tolerance” zone for city-centre boards after a recent check found 150 which were causing obstructions, with officers saying they were also hindering efforts to reduce street clutter.

Businesses which use the boards to advertise have criticised the plans, saying it will affect their efforts to cope with the recession.

The move comes four years after the council dropped plans to fine traders for using A-boards, instead telling them they were unlikely to face action as long as the boards were propped against buildings.

The council’s community safety overview and scrutiny committee last night agreed to support a blanket ban in the centre. But it said this should eventually become a city-wide rule because of problems in other areas, such as Clifton Green, although the vote was split.

Clifton councillor and committee chair Helen Douglas said: “I realise that when businesses are struggling they need to advertise, but I don’t see why anybody should be forced to walk around them – it’s not just a city-centre issue and I think the same rules should apply everywhere.”

Coun Ken King, who also represents Clifton, said: “A-boards cause inconvenience for disabled people and those with sight problems and we should have a blanket ban, because there are numerous other ways for businesses to advertise.”

But Rural West York councillor Chris Steward told the meeting: “I don’t have a problem with a blanket ban on dangerous boards, but zero tolerance for all boards would be a big mistake when times are tough for businesses.”

Council officials said a blanket rule for the city centre was designed to avoid businesses claiming they had been discriminated against if they were told to remove their A-boards while others remained, and there were fewer complaints in other areas of York.

They said city-centre traders would be sent letters asking them to remove boards, otherwise the council would take them away – but also said the authority did not have the resources to immediately implement a York-wide ban.

Comments(23)

BL2 says...
10:09am Wed 13 Mar 13

The ones outside the Rose and Crown are certainly annoying!

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Mr Trellis says...
10:18am Wed 13 Mar 13

I certainly agree that some A boards are annoying, however surely there is a case for allowing them in the footstreets in footstreet hours. More so if they are required to be topica, relevant and preferably ouitside the premises advertised. I find them a useful source of information when i am in a different city. I totally fail to get the argument that they hinder the disabled any more than say cycles or waste bins

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keepitshut says...
10:25am Wed 13 Mar 13

A boards are perfect if they are flat against the property, a hazard if they are in the middle of the path.
What annoys me is the one advertising for the Hairy Fig in Fossgate, it is in the middle of the path in Whip Ma Whop Ma Gate!

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Mr Trellis says...
10:26am Wed 13 Mar 13

I certainly agree that some A boards are annoying, however surely there is a case for allowing them in the footstreets in footstreet hours. More so if they are required to be topica, relevant and preferably ouitside the premises advertised. I find them a useful source of information when i am in a different city. I totally fail to get the argument that they hinder the disabled any more than say cycles or waste bins

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pedalling paul says...
11:11am Wed 13 Mar 13

Ban the ones with poor spelling...like the Maltings one by Lendal Bridge..."Now your wasting drinking time..." indeed!
Should be YOU'RE...

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The Bullet says...
11:37am Wed 13 Mar 13

Its about time that traders started to act in unison against the local autocrats hell bent on wiping out local businesses. I've set up a facebook page...lets see where we can take that.

http://www.facebook.
com/pages/Save-our-A
-Boards/434775506594
068

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Capt. Dobie says...
11:38am Wed 13 Mar 13

Is this a wind-up?

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keepitshut says...
11:46am Wed 13 Mar 13

The Bullet wrote:
Its about time that traders started to act in unison against the local autocrats hell bent on wiping out local businesses. I've set up a facebook page...lets see where we can take that. http://www.facebook. com/pages/Save-our-A -Boards/434775506594 068
Is this a wind up?

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baldiebiker says...
12:38pm Wed 13 Mar 13

why not just ban traders, end of problem, then no one would come into the city centre end of traffic problem, then get rid of council and start over again?

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Buzz Light-year says...
12:44pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Unfair to single out the Hairy Fig, their board is in a long line of boards.

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Bucktrout says...
12:46pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Wholly agree with this. I see no benefit from adding to the already overwhelming cluster of messages around the city centre.

Whilst I understand that businesses want to push the word out at any opportunity, imagine a situation where every single shop front had a board outside; they would simply cancel out one another's efforts. I believe it's what the economist would call game theory.

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greenmonkey says...
12:54pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Rather harsh on those businesses that are tucked away up a side alley - take their board away on the main pedestrian route and you might as well just give them notice to close up the business and leave the premises empty - less rates and more derelict buildings. Is that what the members of this committee want?

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keepitshut says...
1:45pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Buzz Light-year wrote:
Unfair to single out the Hairy Fig, their board is in a long line of boards.
Very true...however, i believe the proprieter was having her "say" about the need to have boards in the street to promote business when she was spoken to by The Press last week.
If thats the case...put the board in the street she stands on, not a street she isnt on!

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working class tory says...
2:05pm Wed 13 Mar 13

It seems these 'lefty' councillors have no concerns for small city centre business; they seem to think they don't matter. The visitors to York don't come here to see the Aviva offices, the little businesses are part of why they come here.

'A' boards need managing not banning.

As in all walks of life, both nationally and locally, Labour has long since given-up on the little man, though they stand up for big business that contributes little to society. The residents of York Central will be made well aware of this before too long.

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Buzz Light-year says...
2:58pm Wed 13 Mar 13

In fact I just walked past the line of boards on Whip Ma Whop Ma Gate and they are in a big open space. They aren't blocking the way there's loads of room.

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Back and Beyond says...
6:43pm Wed 13 Mar 13

A boards are better than having staff stood outside shops harassing you to come in.

At least you can kick an A board over if it annoys you.

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johnofyork says...
8:05pm Wed 13 Mar 13

Talk about fiddling while York burns. Shops are closing all over the city. Rents are way to high and failing to attract new businesses, out of town shopping venues are expanding with full council encouragement and all they can do is stop local city centre shops from trying to drum up a bit of business. A boards should be allowed to stay, PROVIDING they are not in a dangerous position.

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PKH says...
9:44pm Wed 13 Mar 13

On Stonebow the plethora of signs associated with the 'roadworks' that are actually on the pavement, are far more of a hazard than the majority of A Boards.

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Magicman! says...
3:54am Thu 14 Mar 13

Well I noticed the roadworks sign for immenent lighting works on Lendal Bridge had been moved off the pavement the other day, and moved straight into the line normally used by cycles.

Also, on the one hand A-board are apparently 'street clutter' and a hazard to sight impaired persons or wheelchair users - but on the other hand the council allows street cafe's to be set up with a plethora of tables, parasols, ropes and chairs.....


But as an idea - I have noticed the tourist direction signs around the city centre have had modified bus timetable holders fitted to them, which currently only offer limited information about 'York city of festivals'... why not instead use at least one of the two holders per sign pole to display information about local buisnesses? It'll be the first point that tourists will look at.

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ChilliPepper87 says...
8:03am Thu 14 Mar 13

Buzz Light-year wrote:
Unfair to single out the Hairy Fig, their board is in a long line of boards.
they have 2. In a long line of boards.
But pub ones are the worst anyway.

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Older Sometimes Wiser says...
12:09pm Thu 14 Mar 13

johnofyork wrote:
Talk about fiddling while York burns. Shops are closing all over the city. Rents are way to high and failing to attract new businesses, out of town shopping venues are expanding with full council encouragement and all they can do is stop local city centre shops from trying to drum up a bit of business. A boards should be allowed to stay, PROVIDING they are not in a dangerous position.
At last a sane comment as I know from a colleague who is blind that A Boards do constitute a hazard to her.
Perhaps the York Tourist Bureau could print some simple local area maps highlighting "best shops & eating establishments" on a Star*** basis?
Whether one was included could be determined by a competition for best value,most innovative,customer friendly etc.?
This could be available as a mobile phone app as part of a tourist promotion, or a private initiative from shopkeepers.
York needs innovation which doesnt come easy to council officials!

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Buzz Light-year says...
1:26pm Fri 15 Mar 13

ChilliPepper87 wrote:
Buzz Light-year wrote: Unfair to single out the Hairy Fig, their board is in a long line of boards.
they have 2. In a long line of boards. But pub ones are the worst anyway.
Um, nope.
There are 4 boards.
Hairy Fig, Purple Haze, Spring Espresso and Duncans.

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Buzz Light-year says...
6:07pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Buzz Light-year wrote:
ChilliPepper87 wrote:
Buzz Light-year wrote: Unfair to single out the Hairy Fig, their board is in a long line of boards.
they have 2. In a long line of boards. But pub ones are the worst anyway.
Um, nope. There are 4 boards. Hairy Fig, Purple Haze, Spring Espresso and Duncans.
My apologies, I got that wrong. There are 2 Hairy Fig boards as you say.
One of them is one-sided and I checked the wrong side.

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