A row over the need to rid the high street of A' boards rekindled this week at a Kendal traders meeting.

Disability groups claim free-standing adverts in the town centre make life difficult for people in wheelchairs and present a danger to the visually impaired.

Traders have expressed sympathy with their views but say a number of small businesses are dependent upon A' boards on the pavements and pedestrianised areas to attract customers and keep business afloat.

Controversial plans to charge traders £25 per A' board were dropped by South Lakeland District Council in 2000 when traders hit out at the plan.

However, following safety concerns, SLDC opted to take tougher enforcement action against the boards under powers already available under the 1980 Highways Act.

But this week SLDC economy and development manager Richard Greenwood told Kendal Retailers Forum meeting the authority had not enforced the policy.

"I saw a real conflict in trying to do that at a time of foot-and-mouth and the changes to the town traffic management," he said.

The meeting also heard that in recent months SLDC had received a series of complaints about the A' boards, including one which went to the ombudsman.

Mr Greenwood said the authority was poised to take another in-depth look at the issue but said licence fees were not currently on the agenda.

Kendal Retailers Forum member George Inchmore said: "There are all sorts of little businesses down alleys in Kendal. People put A' boards out to attract customers. Shops are not looking to get in people's way - it's a form of advertising."

Other forum members spoke out in defence of the appeal of street furniture, including A' boards, which some members said added to the attraction of a town.

"Finkle Street is very continental looking. It is beautiful with all the chairs and tables outside, " said Ruth Burrell, of Options on Finkle Street.

Following the meeting, chief executive of South Lakeland Voluntary Society for the Blind Sonia Mangan told the Gazette her organisation had more than 3,000 clients in South Lakland and A' boards were a constant cause of complaint.

"This is a significant problem for our members. We have been backwards and forwards on this issue for more than six years. We would really like zero tolerance to the boards but we have discussed compromises."

Meanwhile the authority has scheduled a development overview and scrutiny committee meeting to tackle the issue of A' boards and eventually come up with some potential solutions to put before SLDC's cabinet.

At the scrutiny committee meeting on June 3, councillors will hear a full day of in-depth interviews on A' boards with representatives including Ms Mangan, SLDC access officer Alun Brown and manager of the Elephant Yard Shopping Centre Peter Boyd.

May 30, 2003 09:30