A luxury hotel in a Grade II listed building in Beaconsfield has been warned to take down fairy lights that cover the front of the building after putting them up without permission last year.

The Crazy Bear Hotel on Wycombe End put strings of fairy lights across the front of the building before Christmas, but has still not taken them down despite not having planning permission for them.

The BFP reported in September 2013 that the hotel had breached planning rules by hanging fairy lights for nine months without permission and was spoke to by enforcement officers after the council received a tip off.

The four star hotel, which opened in 2008, then submitted a planning application to South Bucks District Council for the lights but it was refused as they would “detract from the character and appearance of the listed building and its setting” because of their “prominence and poor design.”

Beaconsfield Old Town Residents Association (BOTRA) have now approached South Bucks District Council’s planning enforcement team to make them aware that the lights are on display without permission again.  

Pete Foster, general secretary of BOTRA, said: “Last year this happened and this year it has happened. They put the lights up for Christmas in November but then they do not take them down again.

“I don’t think people are bothered about having the lights up at Christmas, but the reasonable thing to do would be to have them up for the Christmas period but then take them down.  

“We have had a word with the duty manager because they do not have planning permission for the lights and we have been in touch with South Bucks District Council because if that was someone’s house, they would be told to take them down.

“It seems to be a successful business and employs a lot of people in the area, but the laws apply to everyone.”

A South Bucks District Council spokesman confirmed that the hotel does not have permission for the lights and is in the process of asking the hotel to take them down.

They said: “Planning permission is needed to place outside lights on this Grade II listed building, and in this instance has not been applied for.

“We are aware of the lights being in place and are asking the company to remove them. We hope they comply, as this will avoid any further actions.”