A NEW outdoor equipment store in York has apologised to local residents disturbed by its illuminated signs – and said it had immediately responded to complaints by turning off the lights and taking down one sign.

GO Outdoors opened last week on the site of the former Homebase store in Foss Bank, creating 45 jobs.

But people living nearby have contacted The Press to criticise the “light pollution” they say the store causes at night and the “hideous eyesore” created by bright blue signs during the day.

One resident, who lives at Florence House in nearby Eboracum Way, claimed three illuminated signs which had appeared were a “blight on the area,’ with one of them appearing about twenty times the size of a full moon.

The resident said: “These signs give out enough light to be seen from Pluto, they are so bright.”

Another resident complained: “The GO Outdoors building next door to Sainsbury’s has been completed, and is a hideous eyesore. Its bright blue signs and paint utterly ruin the view in the area. It’s pretty intrusive for the local residents.”

City of York Council said a retrospective application for advertising signs had been received but had not yet been determined.

“This is likely to happen at the end of this month or later next month,” said a spokeswoman.

”If consent for all or some of the signs was refused, the council could consider enforcement action to seek the removal or amendment of the signs.”

A spokeswoman for GO Outdoors said it was thrilled it had been able to open its doors in York. “We’re committed to the local community, have created 45 jobs and spent £1.4 million renovating the site which was previously derelict for four years,” she said.

“We have submitted an application for advertisement consent which is still pending. However, we’re conscious that the lights have disturbed some of the local residents and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“We have taken on board the residents’ requests and we have immediately turned off the illuminated lights and taken down the totem sign.”