Council: Advertising rules had to be upheld for Marlow market

5:00pm Tuesday 24th November 2009

By James Nadal

TRADERS who blasted red tape for threatening the closure of the new Marlow farmers' market should direct their frustrations at central government, council officials say.

Organiser David Emmett, 60, from Hambleden said last week it could face the chop unless trade picks up before Christmas, blaming council 'bureaucrats'.

The event was only revived in June after it being axed due to spiralling costs last summer.

The market has been told to take down an advertising banner on the fence of the Dean Street car park, where it is held, because it required planning permission.

The request has been made despite the banner, which has a council logo, having been up five months already.

Mr Emmett fears the loss of advertising will further dent trade, which has failed to match expectations.

WDC spokesman Sue Robinson said: “The regulations, costs and process of applying for advertisement consent or planning permission is not set by Wycombe District Council, but is laid out by Central Government.

“While we support the need to promote the market through advertising, to display a banner without advertisement consent constitutes a criminal offence and regrettably, in our role as the Local Planning Authority, we have had to ask Mr Emmett to remove the banner until he has advertisement consent.

“As landlords, we have given permission for the use of our barriers to put up a banner, but, national government planning legislation requires that advertisement consent has to be applied for and granted for a banner to be put up.”

Numerous complaints about advertising signs have been made by residents in recent months, the council said.

In response to Mr Emmett's claim that WDC had thrown “ every challenge they can think of”, Mrs Robinson said WDC had firstly helped the farmers find the Dean Street location and only charged the organisers a community event rate rather than a fully commercial rate.

She said the council is “keen to support the farmers market in the town and hope it will thrive.”

“We see the farmers market as an important part of the local economy and the local community in Marlow which we want to encourage,” she said.

“It not only helps local farmers and traders but it adds to the vibrancy and life of the town of Marlow.”

Andy McCready, president of the Marlow Chamber of Trade, said: “I think it adds value to the town and it would be a shame if it went, we should be supporting it.

“It's another reason why people come to Marlow, I would imagine it brings other shoppers who might shop elsewhere.”