Restaurateur fined for illegal signs

10:36am Wednesday 21st May 2008

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A RESTAURANT owner has been fined for flouting planning regulations by illegally displaying two illuminated signs.

Eshan Omar Ghani was fined £500 and ordered to pay £1,500 costs after he ignored several warnings of court action to remove the signs from his restaurant.

Ghani, the owner of the Mighty Bite restaurant in High Street, Chesham, pleaded guilty to the offences in his absence at Aylesbury Magistrates Court on May 15.

He was taken to court by Chiltern District Council's planning enforcement officers after refusing to remove an illumated sign from the window of the restaurant and a projecting sign from outside.

Councillor Nick Rose, Chiltern District Council's Cabinet Member with responsibility for planning regulation enforcement, said: "Ignoring planning law is considered very seriously in Chiltern and although this might seem a minor issue these signs were unduly prominent and intruded on the amenity of the immediate neighbours.

"One of the signs was extremely conspicuous at night and potentially could have distracted a driver and caused an accident."

Ghani was fined £500 for the two offences and £1,500 to cover the council's costs.

The council said the signs on display at the Mighty Bite had always been unauthorised and should have been removed.