A family run business has been warned it faces a charge of £2,500 after it was told the lighting of its sign was not in keeping with a conservation area.
Il Gusto in Abergavenny’s Frogmore Street could also face a further £250 per day added to the bill if the signs remain illuminated.
In documents seen by the Chronicle, Monmouthshire County Council told the building’s owners that it shall have no alternative but to initiate prosecution proceedings against them at Magistrates’ Court.
The Local Planning Authority (LPA) is of the view that having an internally lit sign – where the illumination source is behind the signage and beams outwards – is in breach of these regulations.
However, there is no fixed rule against this kind of advertising, with the policy legislation enforced by the LPA merely stating, “Signage should not unacceptably detract from the character or appearance of the area and would not result in undue visual clutter.”
“The attack on my tenants is based solely on a subjective opinion,” says Peter Wooley, who is representing his tenants.
“I have asked the LPA if they can tell me where, in the regulations, it says I cannot have a backlit light on the front of my building, and they haven’t.”
A spokesperson for MCC told us, “The Local Planning Authority are collaborating with the owners to address the unauthorised signage to ensure the special character of the conservation area is protected.”
However, the building owner has said the use of the term ‘collaborating’ is inaccurate, given the LPA has already told the business an application for new permission is “Likely to be refused.”
Il Gusto opened its doors in October, and the business has already seen some challenging times.
Mr Wooley recalls watching the flames of the Frogmore Street fire rise from across town as he feared the worst. The building is situated next door to the now-empty site.
“We have owned the building since 2021 with three different tenants running the downstairs business in that time,” he said.
“I can remember looking across town and crying. I genuinely thought the building, along with everything we had tried so hard to create was gone.”
“I find it unbelievable that one of the most historic buildings in the town, which was nearly lost forever, should be targeted in this way.”
Mr Wooley is now calling for the LPA to take a pragmatic approach to the issue at hand.
Signage which has been in situation for over three years is immune to any action by the LPA, and internally lit signage has been in place above the door of 43 Frogmore Street for almost four years.
The legislation also makes other businesses in the conservation area immune from the same kind of enforcement.
However, the LPA has confirmed that it believes the signage is within the timeframe for enforcement action, as the business only opened seven months ago.
“I fail to see how our sign isn’t in keeping with the town centre,” the owner said.
“We need consistency of treatment and enforcement across the board.”