Smaller sign plan for sex shop could distract motorists

HAVING banned an advertising sign because it would negatively affect the “visual amenity”, how much smaller do you think a sign needed to be for Huntingdonshire District Council, in consultation with the applicant, to agree it would not spoil the visual amenity?

Well, we may soon find out, for it seems that Pulse & Cocktails, owner of the sex shop near Sawtry, has not accepted the original decision and has got HDC to “agree” that a slightly smaller totem sign could be OK (and thereby avoid them having to go through an appeals process).

And would you believe

Graham Kidd, managing director of Cocktails Limited, calmly states the “smaller sign will be seen from further along the A1 – ie they deliberately want to attract the attention of 70mph traffic – yet during the original hearing in 2010 the police commented that “associated signage may cause distraction to motorists … and this factor requires due consideration to ensure danger to road users is avoide.”

Unfortunately HDC chose to turn down the original application on the grounds of “visual amenity” and not on safety grounds, so watch this space on the motorway slip road and to see how much smaller this new assign will be because I wouldn’t bet on HDC turning down this new application for it seems they have already consulted and already agreed, and to hang with the visual amenity!

Why do we bother?

ALLAN BAMFORD

The Maltings

Sawtry