A BUSINESS owner in Minehead has been left ‘disappointed’ with new signage around Minehead and the letter she received asking her to remove her advert board.

New signs and information points were put up around town in August to point tourists in the right direction.

But Sally Mclean, of Sally’s Vintage Chic, said the new signs have been no help to her business.

She said: “I received a letter a few weeks ago from the Highways Agency telling me that I needed to remove my advert board by early November.

“I completely understand the health and safety aspects, and I don’t want to cause an accident, but they should have gone a better way about it.”

Somerset County Council said it was sensitive to the needs of small businesses but had an overriding duty to prevent obstruction and ensure safe access for pedestrians.

Sally is worried that without her advert board, her business will suffer.

The new signs were designed to show tourists the locations of shops but Sally believes people do not read them.

She said: “I ask my customers when they come into the shop how they found me – and no one says using the new signs.

“They might benefit other businesses but not mine. The signage isn’t appropriate, there’s too much information.

“I told the Chamber of Commerce this but I wasn’t listened to. 

“The worst thing is the no entry sign blocks the view of my shop.”

West Somerset Council says the signage was improved because of new laws on A-boards.

The county council added: “In Minehead we have been liaising with traders, Minehead Town Council, the Chamber of Trade and West Somerset Council over the installation of maptype information boards and now these are in place we have reissued our guidelines on A-boards.

“Where A-boards are inappropriately located we will talk to the retailer to ask them to keep them in a more reasonable position. If a complaint is made, we would send someone out to the location to advise the owner to keep the A-board in a more appropriate place or if they refuse to remove them.”

Sally is one of the founding members of The Hope Centre in Minehead, a group which helps people with alcohol and drug addictions, and therefore can only open her shop four days a week.

She added: “I love Minehead and that is why I set up The Hope Centre – because I wanted to help those who needed it.

“I just feel like I haven’t been listened to because I’m a fairly new business and because I only open four days a week.

“It’s a little disheartening really.”

  • Revive Minehead and the Minehead Chamber of Commerce are in discussions about improving the map signage in the town.