Woman fined over illegal posters for TV’s Bargain Hunt

A WOMAN was ordered to pay almost £500 by a court for putting up illegal posters advertising a filming of BBC’s Bargain Hunt at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

Brita Rogers, 66, was trying to attract people to the antiques fair being filmed for the popular daytime TV show.

She put up posters advertising the event without permission alongside of a busy road – and was spotted by council officers instead.

A spokesman for Carmarthenshire County Council said: “A council environmental enforcement officer noticed a number of advertising signs whilst on patrol.”

Rogers helped organised the Derwen Antiques fair, which took place at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales and starred host Eric Knowles, along with antiques experts Kate Bliss and Ben Cooper.

The episode was filmed in January – and is due to appear on TV next week.

The spokesman said the signs were placed at roundabouts and along the A48 road near Carmarthen in west Wales.

But a court heard Rogers had “illegally advertised” the event and she admitted advertising without consent.

The spokesman said: “During interview, Rogers stated that although she had not placed the signs herself, she had agreed for others to do so on her behalf.”

Rogers appeared at Llanelli Magistrates court where she admitted advertising without consent under the Town and Country Planning Act.

The court heard Rogers had previously been handed a fixed penalty notice for fly posting in 2014.

Rogers, of Carmarthen, told the court she hadn’t made much profit from the event and had organised the fair to help bring footfall to the gardens in Llanarthe, near Carmarthen.

She was fined £80, with costs of £374.46 and a £30 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the sentence Cllr Philip Hughes, Executive Board Member for enforcement, said: “Fly-posting is potentially very dangerous as it is distracting to drivers and when broken down by the weather causes litter on our roadways and verges.”