Sign ban may force gran to close her ‘dream’ cafe

AGRANDMOTHER who fulfilled her ‘dream’ of launching her own cafe claims her business might close down after the council forced her to remove her only advertising board.

Samantha Keenan, 51, opened The Cake n Teapot on Kingston Drive in Royton nearly three years ago.

Since then she has had an A-board sign on Oozewood Road to attract traffic from the busier road.

But after a new business moved in and started putting up their own larger yellow signs three months ago, the council have ordered both of them to remove their signs.

Council bosses say they understand the ‘frustration’ of local businesses in these cases, but say Samantha does not have planning permission to put her sign on Oozewood Road. They said that Samantha must now apply for permission, a process which can take several weeks.

Samantha said: “I know it’s trivial, but my sign will have been there three years in January, I’ve never had any complaints, nobody from the council has told me to remove it. When they used to mow the grass they’d remove it and put it back again. I don’t think it’s right. They’re going to close me down doing that, that’s my only sign I’ve got to say I’m here.”

Since the sign was removed last Tuesday Samantha says there’s been a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in custom.

She said: “It has always been my dream. I was working in food before, I was working to get this, to buy equipment to open the shop. We’re tucked away in a little corner, it’s not easy.

“I do get trade from the regulars but after this sign business I can tell the difference. I’m really upset. I thought councils were meant to help small businesses, but instead they’re going to close me down – that’s the effect it’ll probably have.”

Coun Fida Hussain, Oldham council cabinet member for environmental services, said: “I appreciate that businesses sometimes find this frustrating.

“However, if we allow advertising signage to be placed on green spaces, in parks and in other public areas without any controls whatsoever, the whole of the town will soon be littered with them.” ●●Samantha Keenan at her Cake ‘n’ Teapot cafe which she fears may have to close in a row over an A board sign (inset)