Councillor calls for sandwich-board compromise

Councillor calls for sandwich board compromise


Trevor Quinn

INDEPENDENT Westport Councillor Martin Keane last week called for leniency from Town Council officials in relation to removing sandwich boards in Westport during the height of the tourist season.
The council have been issuing letters to businesses in the town asking them to remove sandwich boards from outside their premises. A report from adjudicators  in the National Town Towns’ competition criticsed the use of such advertising last year. The report maintained the boards litters the street and were a hazard to the wheelchair bound and blind people.
However one business owner on Market Lane in Westport, who wished to remain anonymous spoke, to The Mayo News and said, “I got a letter today from Westport Town Council asking me not to put any signs out on the street. We’re all competing with each other for business and trying to make a shilling,  so the council should not just pull the rug from underneath us, give us an alternative?”
Speaking at last week’s meeting of Westport Town Council meeting, Cllr Keane said that pubs, restaurants and businesses in the town were entitled to display their fares and wares, in what is a very harsh and unforgiving economic climate.
Cllr Keane said in recent times there have been complaints about sandwich boards blocking streets, and sometimes these boards were removed quickly by the town council employees to the town council yard, without any time for a resolution to be found.
“In recent years the sandwich boards were whipped away to the council yard and this caused all types of controversies. All I am asking for is a bit of leniency and a bit of common sense.
“If there is a problem I would like to see people engaging and trying to identify if a solution can be found instead of just taking them. The streets and pavements are big enough for people to be able to walk around them.”
Cllr Keane said he understood both sides of the argument but there had to be middle ground available to satisfy all parties.
The business owner who spoke to The Mayo News said he remembers putting out an illuminated sign previously at the entrance to Market Lane and this sign was stationery for two or three weeks. However, it ended up being vandalised and pulled down.
He is calling for permanent signage which would promote local businesses and subsequently de-clutter Market Lane so it is still viable and attractive to tourists and tidy town adjudicators.
“If they were to give us an A3 size space at the end of the lane that would be ideal. We could advertise our businesses and everybody would be happy.”
Cllr Keane said he intended to try and find a solution to the problem as soon as possible.