A struggling pub has hit out at council officers for utilizing obscure laws to take away its chalkboard indicators.
Like hundreds of different pub landlord across the UK, Tim Younger, 51, created indicators promoting opening days and menu choices on the Farmer’s Arms in Combe Florey, Somerset.
Mr Younger put up two boards in a hedgerow subsequent to the A358 motorway within the hopes of attracting vacationers after the value of dwelling disaster began ‘killing’ his enterprise.
He was delighted to see a lift in buyer numbers, serving to him deal with crippling margins which had compelled a number of different close by pubs to shut.
However Somerset County Council took down the indicators, claiming they have been ‘breaching freeway legal guidelines’ and suggesting the waist-high boards couldn’t be positioned there ‘safely’.
Tim claims the indicators have been confiscated after he put them away and that the council was now stonewalling his makes an attempt to get them again.
Tim stated: ‘Three pubs round us have closed. We are actually the final pub standing.
‘We're desperately attempting to maintain afloat and hold going, however not aided by Somerset County Council Highways who gained’t even discuss to us.
![Pictured Tim Young (left) and his sign maker Ed Henwood with a similar sign they put on display.A landlord has slammed highways officials for removing chalkboard signs directing them to his country pub - which were designed to boost trade amid the financial crisis. See SWNS story SWLNsign. Tim Young, 51, created signs to advertise the pub's deals in order to drum up more trade as the industry faces mounting pressure. He displayed two boards in a hedgerow beside the A358 with one showing the pub would be open Wednesdays to Sundays. The other was advertising Thursday fish and chip night at the Farmer's Arms pub in Combe Florey, Somerset. But was left shocked when a highways officer removed the signs and returned them to the pub, claiming they were 'breaching highways laws'. The pub owner put the signs out again on Thursday [3] but a highways officer removed them again and took them away without returning them. Tim has now hit out at Somerset County Council for removing the signs as he had seen an influx in customers thanks to the boards. He is desperately trying to bring in more trade for the pub amidst the cost of living crisis.](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/themes/metro-parent/img/fallback.png)
‘We desperately don’t need to shut. Our electrical has doubled and all the things else has gone up too – even your beef, pork and hen for the Sunday roasts.
‘Cooking oil has doubled in value, beers and ales have gone up by a number of kilos a cask, and there’s solely a lot you'll be able to cross on to the shopper as a result of they’re struggling as nicely.
‘The federal government usually are not exhibiting any assist in the direction of rural nation pubs. VAT is at 20% – it’s killing us.
‘Folks are available once they see our indicators. It is a vacationer space, folks don’t know there’s a pub right here, so once they see an indication for “pub subsequent left”, folks are available off the street.
‘It’s very annoying. The council wants to grasp that companies that make use of folks need assistance – they'll’t simply take our indicators and never give them again.’
A spokesperson for Somerset County Council stated: ‘We've been involved with the enterprise proprietor to elucidate that the indicators in query usually are not permitted underneath freeway laws which is why they have been eliminated.
‘We do perceive nonetheless the significance of with the ability to promote and we’ve had constructive discussions about the place the indicators may be legally and safely positioned.
‘The indicators can be found for assortment and we shall be arranging this with the proprietor.’
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