Country pub’s chalkboard signs removed by council ‘for breaching highway laws’

Tim Young accused heavy-handed officials of speeding up the demise of pubs struggling to cope with the cost of living crisis.

A struggling pub has hit out at council officials for using obscure legislation to remove its chalkboard signs.

Like thousands of other pub landlord around the UK, Tim Young, 51, created signs advertising opening days and menu offerings at the Farmer’s Arms in Combe Florey, Somerset.

Mr Young put up two boards in a hedgerow next to the A358 motorway in the hopes of attracting tourists after the cost of living crisis started ‘killing’ his business.

He was delighted to see a boost in customer numbers, helping him cope with crippling margins which had forced several other nearby pubs to close.

But Somerset County Council took down the signs, claiming they were ‘breaching highway laws’ and suggesting the waist-high boards couldn’t be placed there ‘safely’.

Tim claims the signs were confiscated after he put them away and that the council was now stonewalling his attempts to get them back.

Tim said: ‘Three pubs around us have closed. We are literally the last pub standing.

‘We are desperately trying to keep afloat and keep going, but not aided by Somerset County Council Highways who won’t even talk to us.

‘We desperately don’t want to close. Our electric has doubled and everything else has gone up too – even your beef, pork and chicken for the Sunday roasts.

‘Cooking oil has doubled in cost, beers and ales have gone up by several pounds a cask, and there’s only so much you can pass on to the customer because they’re suffering as well.

‘The government are not showing any help towards rural country pubs. VAT is at 20% – it’s killing us.

‘People come in when they see our signs. This is a tourist area, people don’t know there’s a pub here, so when they see a sign for “pub next left”, people come in off the road.

‘It’s very annoying. The council needs to understand that businesses that employ people need help – they can’t just take our signs and not give them back.’

A spokesperson for Somerset County Council said: ‘We have been in contact with the business owner to explain that the signs in question are not permitted under highway legislation which is why they were removed.

‘We do understand however the importance of being able to advertise and we’ve had constructive discussions about where the signs can be legally and safely placed.

‘The signs are available for collection and we will be arranging this with the owner.’

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