Colchester coffee shop ordered to remove sign or face fine

James Channon, who owns Sir Isaac’s Artisan Coffee, in Sir Isaac’s Walk, has used a menu board outside his shop for more than two-and-a-half years to entice customers inside.

But last week Colchester Council wardens ordered him to remove the board or face a £200 fine.

Mr Channon said his staff had faced ten visits from council wardens in just one week, despite receiving no warnings or letters over the policy.

"It's been stood outside the shop since we opened in 2020 with no problems," he said.

"At a time when the town is dying you would think we could do with the support.

"My energy bills have doubled and the footfall has lowered due to M&S closing.

"Now the council has issued warnings of fines to a number of businesses.

"It just all comes across as a bit heavy-handed."

• READ MORE: Claims Colchester advertising boards ban 'could kill off businesses'

The business owner said he had counted 12 other venues around the city with advertising boards outside their premises.

"The menu board tempts people in, some people look down the street and use it to see that we're open," he said.

The menu board outside Sir Isaac's Artisan Coffee, in Colchester (Image: Newsquest)

"You look at other town centres and the support they get, in our town centre we just face all these hidden costs.

"The menu board means thousands of people read what the cost of a coffee is and then decide whether to come in.

"Now we have to get rid of it, purely because 'we've gotten away with it for three years'."

In 2017, Colchester Council issued a blanket ban on advertising boards across the town as part of a public spaces protection order (PSPO). 

During a month-long consultation, a petition against the A-board prohibition was presented to the council with 82 signatures from businesses.

At the time, council bosses said the ban was an attempt to attract disabled people to the town who previously found the streets difficult to navigate due to A-boards.

A council spokesman said: “The ban on A-boards is about helping to make our town centre a safe, attractive and welcoming place for all visitors, including people who are visually impaired or who have restricted mobility, as well as to parents with children, prams and buggies. 

"It is not and never has been an attempt to stifle free enterprise.

"Sir Isaacs Walk falls within the restricted area covered by the PSPO and, as such, the rule that restricts the use of A-boards and other removable or unsecured structures applies to businesses there just as it does elsewhere in the town centre.

“One of our neighbourhood wardens spoke to the coffee shop owner to explain the rules regarding A-boards and that all businesses are treated equally when it comes to enforcing the town centre PSPO.”