Dirty Signage – Council Urged to Clean Up Its Act

A concerned resident in Folkestone, Kent, has called on the county council to clean a dirty road sign.

Brian Lamb, a 75-year-old motorist living near Castle Hill Avenue, has warned that a road sign warning motorists not to turn right into Kingsnorth Gardens, is too dirty to be seen at night. If the sign becomes any more covered in moss or algae, motorists might not even be able to see it during the daytime.

Mr Lamb said: “It is not possible to see the sign through the algae in the dark. There are a number of signs in the area which could do with a bit of cleaning, but I think this one was the worst.

“It’s difficult to read the road at the best of times, if you approached the crossroads and didn’t know the sign was there, you would easily miss it.”

A broken light above the sign makes the ‘no right turn’ signal even harder to discern in poor light. When asked about the signage by a local newspaper, Kent County Council refused to comment.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we agree that important road signs should be kept relatively clean to improve safety conditions for motorists.

Roadworks Signage Described as ‘Unsympathetic’

A trader in Alfriston, East Sussex, has launched a scathing attack on East Sussex County Council, after road signs installed to inform motorists of works in the village allegedly ‘destroyed’ her business.

Diane Meek, owner of Pearls of Alfriston, said: “The ‘road ahead closed signs’ were far more prominent than the ‘village open’ ones.”

The proprietor added that the signage could have been designed and installed “more sympathetically.”

Responding to a critical letter received from Ms Meek, East Sussex County Council replied: “We do understand the concerns of business owners, but we are satisfied that adequate signage is in place and that those advising motorists businesses are open as usual are clearly visible to motorists.”

Ms Meek noted that the signage was replaced soon after she made her complaint, but that has not prevented her business from losing additional trade. The trader believes that the signs, which read, “STOP,” “CHECKPOINT CHARLIE,” “YOU ARE ENTERING THE ALFRISTON SECTOR” and “VOUS SORTEZ” (French for ‘be gone!’) have scared off scores of potential customers.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we have nothing but sympathy for Ms Meek and other traders in Alfriston. Official road signs should never attempt to mock or make light of the difficulties faced by store owners who are affected by roadworks.

Signs Turn Away Shoppers

Business owners in Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, have attributed a sudden decline in trade to the presence of road signs in the area.

Transport for Buckinghamshire is carrying out essential roadworks on the high street for the next couple of months. Shop owners believe that people have been turned away from the area by signs stating that work will not be finished until June.

Proprietor, Michael Nash, said: “The signs and the length of work [have] halved our trade and the place is like a ghost town. People are avoiding the village, they think it’s going to be chaotic. It’s the worst week in 25 years.”

Pauline Dainton, who has worked in the village for more than two decades, said: “The works are having a devastating effect on all the village and the shops are really having difficulty.”

Transport for Buckinghamshire promised to add to the existing signage, stating: “We will of course do our utmost to complete the work swiftly and… ensure that the additional signs are in place for maximum effect.”

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we recognise that the wording and placement of signs can be immensely important. Unfortunately, shop owners in Chalfont St Peter seem to be discovering this at their expense.

Chinese Signs Cause Consternation in Canada

Fears are growing among English and French-speaking residents in Richmond, British Columbia, that the city will soon become one very large Chinatown. Canadians have called on the local government to prevent the city from losing its cultural identity, by ensuring that the spread of Chinese signs is brought to an end.

Fifty five-year-old Kerry Starchuk, a lifelong resident of Richmond, said: “Three years ago I started to see the signs [literally]. I went to Dairy Queen and outside there was a parking sign that had absolutely no English on it. I had no idea what it was trying to tell me.”

Ms Starchuk added that many Chinese-only street signs had been erected throughout the city. English and French signs, it seems, are on the decline in the city, whose official languages are English and French.

More Chinese signs appearing in Richmond should not surprise anyone. A recent census found that 50.2 per cent of the city’s population are ethnic Chinese. Business leaders in Richmond, however, are drumming up support for a new policy aimed at preserving the English and French languages in the city.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we feel that signage should appeal to everyone. In Richmond, that could mean the introduction of trilingual road and shop signs.

Signage Enforcement Officers: Even Hollywood Isn’t Safe!

Home to the world’s most famous and iconic sign, Hollywood is a symbol of freedom. The spiritual birthplace of the American dream. A place where people head to achieve fame and fortune. The only problem is that signage enforcement officers live there too.

According to Patch, business owners in North Hollywood have been issued with a stark warning by city officials: remove unauthorised signage within 30 days or face a fine. The order was made after inspectors ruled that certain shop front signs were in violation of the area’s municipal code. Size was cited as one of the main reasons why officials wanted the signs to be removed.

Business leaders in Valley Village, North Hollywood, were outraged by the demand, claiming many of the signs had been in place for decades.

Idrea Lippman, owner of a boutique in the area and one of the proprietors cited by the Department of Building and Safety, said: “It’s completely unfair. It’s just wrong how they handled it. The city made a decision that they wanted more revenue.”

Each unauthorised sign will cost up to $1,000 to replace, with the total cost for all firms estimated to be around $35,000.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we can only sympathise with the business owners in Valley Village.

Advertising Signage: Less Pro, More Professional

A councillor in East Devon has challenged the local business community in Honiton to alter the character and appearance of advertising signs in the area. Councillor John O’Leary drew attention to a number of signs that greet shoppers entering Lace Walk Shopping Centre.

The councillor said: “We need to work more closely with businesses on what is acceptable and not acceptable. Some of the signs are terrible. Lace Walk looks like a brothel entrance.”

Councillor O’Leary suggested that the unsightly signage may be a consequence of the type of buildings in the area.

He added: “Because it [Lace Walk Shopping Centre] is not a listed building, they [the owners] can do what they like. We have got to do something to help businesses in Honiton. Businesses are closing and what we are going to be left with is charity shops, coffee shops and betting shops.”

The district councillor for East Devon did not clarify why he expected betting, coffee and charity shops to survive the crisis.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we agree that inappropriate signage is a problem in many parts of the UK. Whether businesses close as a result of unsuitable signage is questionable, however. We always make an effort to create signs that are both tasteful and eye-catching”.

Advertising Signs Rejected by Councillors as “Hideous”

Councillors in Dersingham, Norfolk, have described roadside signs on Lynn Road as “hideous.”

The signs were installed by Marketing Force as part of a sponsorship deal linked to the roundabout situated just off the A149. In total, three signs were installed by the company, which Norfolk County Council appointed to oversee the deal. Each sign includes the name of the council.
Hideous advertising sign
Councillor, Zipha Christopher, was among those to denounce the signs, which have cause outrage in the local community. The councillor remarked: “The signs are hideous and we don’t want them.”

Tony Bubb, councillor for Dersingham, is also no fan of the signs. Councillor Bubb said: “They are completely out of character [with the surrounding area].”

Despite the findings of an independent safety review, which seemingly found no significant safety risk associated with the signs, some council members argued that the signage was unsafe.

Following the developments, Norfolk County Council is expected to refuse planning permission for the signs.

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we cannot offer an opinion on the three signs in question. What we can do is note the importance of ensuring that signs conform to three criteria: they must be safe, easy to notice and in keeping with the surrounding environment.

SCIGRIP to Showcase ‘Miracle’ Adhesive at JEC Europe

SCIGRIP is scheduled to attend JEC Europe, where the manufacturer will showcase SG600, a new MMA (methyl methacrylate) adhesive, that can bond all kinds of substrates.

The adhesive is particularly useful for bonding substrates such as dicyclopentadiene (DCPD). Sign makers and other workers in the creative and print industries can benefit from using SG600, which requires minimal preparation time and bonds quickly compared with other industrial adhesives.

SCIGRIP director, Peter George, said: “We are listening to our customers. They need to eliminate or reduce costs in their preparation, application and cure or post-cure processes. They are seeking automated, efficient and reliable bonds with impact resistance and good fatigue performance, without heat curing.”

Mr George believes SG600 is the perfect adhesive for customers who need to bond PVC, ABS, VE, PE, SMC and other composite materials.

The director for sales and marketing added: “Our customers continue to upgrade the substrates they wish to work with and this provides us with an opportunity to develop and demonstrate the most effective adhesives solutions to suit.”

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we welcome the new adhesive by SCIGRIP. Bonding some types of substrate can be extremely difficult and time-consuming, so hopefully, SG600 can improve productivity for sign makers

Road signs not understood by British motorists

Do motorists in Britain know when to stop? Do they know when to give way? When to look left? According to Confused.com, many British drivers do not know their left from their right when it comes to signage.

The research is shocking. Sixty one per cent of surveyed drivers had no idea what the sign for ‘no motor vehicles permitted’ meant. Fifty one per cent of respondents could not decipher the sign for getting into the correct lane on approach to a junction. Sixty seven per cent were baffled by ‘no waiting’ signs. Eighty three per cent perplexed by clearway signs and 93% bamboozled by ‘bicycles only’ signs.

Perhaps more worrying, 76 per cent of respondents were adamant that road signs could be dangerous, not because they constitute a collision risk, but because they are distracting. Remarkably, 43 per cent of motorists admitted to having been distracted by road signage while behind the wheel.

Defending confused motorists, Confused.com’s Gareth Kloet, said: “Our research suggests that many accidents are actually caused by redundant or perplexing road signs.”

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we agree that some road signs can be difficult to understand. But this is a problem that can be resolved by educating drivers, not removing important or useful signage

No Smoking Signs Too ‘Unfriendly’?

Signs created by Blackpool Council and NHS Blackpool have been redesigned, after a number of residents complained the original designs were not especially ‘friendly.’

The original no smoking signs, used to discourage people from smoking in local parks and outdoor recreational areas, stated: “To protect children, this is a designated smoke-free site.” The design was dark, bland and prescriptive in tone.

The new signs are colourful and cartoon-like. They depict children playing with a kite and football on a patch of green. Blackpool Tower and roller coasters can be seen in the background. The message is more advisory, stating: “Let’s protect our children.”

Under UK law, people can smoke in any public place that is not enclosed. Blackpool Council’s attempt to make its parkland a no-smoking zone is admirable, but the original signs provoked anger among smokers.

Councillor Ivan Roberts explained: “We received a lot of comments about the signs proposed for the park entrances… we’ve taken on board these suggestions and made a number of changes to the design and size.

“No one disputes that people shouldn’t be smoking in playgrounds where children are playing.”

Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we support Blackpool Council’s efforts to protect children in open spaces. The new signs send a clear message to parents and park users.