AN out-of-the blue assault on Alton's "A" boards has left local shop keepers questioning whether Hampshire County Council has got its priorities right. They have slammed county highways officers for their timing in confiscating advertising boards from town centre pavements in the critical run-up to Christmas. Viewed by many as an essential marketing tool, "A" boards are used by traders across the country to advertise and direct customers to their businesses. Local shopkeepers feel they have been discriminated against following the unexpected "sweep of the town" by council workers on Thursday last week. With national headlines forecasting the worst Christmas trading figures in 22 years, shopkeepers are furious to be penalised at a time when sales are crucial. And they believe council officers would be better employed making improvements to Alton's crumbling roads and pavements, both of which, they argue, prove much more hazardous than sensibly-placed "A" boards. In its defence, the official line from Hampshire County Council is that Alton has not been singled out, but that corrective action had been taken against traders because the council had received several complaints from pedestrians about "A" boards on the pavement. "Illegally-placed "A" boards cause difficulties for those with sight and mobility problems, and people with pushchairs often find them obstructive. Footways are particularly busy at this time of year, so it's important that the full clear width is available for pedestrians," said a spokesman. "Traders in Alton have been advised in the past that their "A" boards are illegal on the footway - most recently this summer - and some complied. "If any pedestrians are injured by walking into or tripping over one of these "A" boards, the shopkeeper will be liable for damages. "If shops have private forecourts they can put their "A" boards on these, but all of those removed (on Thursday) were on public footways." Having received a letter months ago, Alton florist Roy Betts said he had complied at the time and had taken his "A" board in, but other boards remained out so he eventually followed suite. "I agree that the situation can get out of hand and that some boards are too big. We need official guidelines on size and location," said Mr Betts, who is furious that traders were not given prior warning of the raid. "It was definitely not in the spirit of Christmas," Sheila Betts told The Herald. "We all work very hard to make something nice in the town to attract people to Alton, but it needs everyone to pull together. What we don't need is this heavy-fisted approach to "A" boards." Turk Street leather shop proprietor Maurice Howitt feels that if "A" boards are illegal they should not be allowed anywhere. But, like the Betts, he believes the county has more important issues to concentrate on, like the state of the roads and pavements. While willing to abide by the law, Jacky Slack, of the Little Green Dragon Bookshop, said it had "come as a shock" when council workers arrived unannounced and seized her board. She also believes it was an "unfair cop" with some "A" boards being left untouched and she is awaiting an explanation. "'A' boards shouldn't be allowed if they are causing an obstruction or if they are unsightly, but there has got to be a fair rule for everyone. In Normandy Street we have grave difficulty getting people to bridge the gap from the High Street but if they can look up Crown Hill and see hanging signs and 'A' boards it is a way of drawing them in." Mark Harding, of Outdoor World in Market Street, views his "A" board as an important part of his business. Placed at the junction with the High Street it has proven invaluable in attracting people to his shop. "We have got both the district and the town council, the Chamber of Commerce and AIM working together to encourage people to shop in Alton by offering Christmas parking concessions, by providing Christmas lights and organising events and then the county council comes along and wipes out the goodwill in one fell swoop," said Mr Harding. He says that like many others in the town, he had not received written warning that "A" board advertising was illegal. "I had just bought a new "A" board for £120 - less than 12 hours later it was in Petersfield and I'm faced with a £100 bill to retrieve it," he said. Wheelchair user Phil Clark said he has no problem with sensibly placed "A" boards. "But I do have a problem with green wheelie bins, especially after they have been emptied and carelessly thrown back onto the highway by refuse workers," he said. Alton Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) president Mike Baker told The Herald that while the chamber couldn't support something illegal, it is questioning why, if it is illegal, the use of "A" boards is so widespread throughout the county . "We have to question the discriminatory and unplanned action in Alton and the differing standards of application which in some part of the county is described as hazardous and dangerous and in others untidy - as we have been told was the case in Alton. Clearly it is a very ambiguous situation which needs to be made transparent and equitable across the county. "Traders see the removal of these boards as detrimental to their business, especially in secondary and tertiary areas of the town. "A" boards add colour and interest to the town and their removal at this time of year shows a complete lack of understanding of the situation faced by small market towns competing against larger towns at Christmas. "If the use of "A" boards is truly illegal then the law is being flouted across the county and is clearly unenforceable with the limited resources available to the council. It would be better to lobby government for a law which is based on hazardous and dangerous obstructions and which can be enforced, with a clear policy which has the acceptance of business associations." ACCI, said Mr Baker, had asked to see documentation of the specific legislation that refers to "A" boards and HCC policy on "A" boards. It also wanted to know the procedure issued to engineers for dealing with the problem and the orders that give them the authority to remove other people's property. "We would also encourage the engineers based at Ramshill to open dialogue with the chamber to prevent what amounts to a breakdown in communication between the council and business community," he said.
