Pembrokeshire attractions are suffering because they are being ordered to take down their road signs – but they can’t get permission for official brown replacement ones.
South Pembrokeshire AM Angela Burns has already highlighted the crazy system that allows McDonalds to have a brown sign just a few hundred yards from its restaurant in Haverfordwest, but won’t let tucked-away attractions such as Slebech Park have any signs at all.
She has now pressed the Welsh Tourism Minister to look into the matter before the next tourist season gets underway.
“I know of a number of local attractions that aren’t getting council permission to renew their existing signs or are being told to take down signs that they’ve had up for years,” she told the Senedd.
“Home-grown and successful Welsh businesses cannot have any kind of signage or are limited to having tiny signs, however, McDonald’s is allowed to have a brown sign on the Haverfordwest roundabout right by its restaurant, it’s crazy.
“I am aware of one restaurant that has lost business after being told to remove its signs from the Penblewin roundabout on the A40.
“This might seem a small priority, but to the many businesses that depend on tourism it is of critical importance.”
Mrs Burns was told in May last year that a Department for Transport review into brown signs was being carried out but it still has not reported back.
“Almost a year on and we are still awaiting its results,” she said. “If the councils are going to crack down on every roadside sign then we need a rapid overhaul of the brown sign system.
“At the moment we have a crazy situation when national companies such as McDonalds have a brown sign even though its golden arches are right next door, yet some of Pembrokeshire’s most popular attractions are being told to take down their signs and being refused permission for brown ones.”
