Campaigners in Carmarthen, Wales, have protested a decision by retailer Marks & Spencer to limit the number of English-Welsh signs around its store on Red Street.
Identifying themselves as members of the Cymdeithas yr laith protest group, the 20 activists believe a recent overhaul of the M&S outlet in Carmarthen failed to show sufficient respect for the Welsh-speaking community.
The campaigners insist that more bilingual signs should be installed around the store.
Hazel Charles Evans, a member of Cymdeithas yr laith, claims that the only Welsh-language sign in the store reads, “talwch yma”, which means ‘pay here’. Evans described this as a backwards step for the firm.
The protest group wants the retailing giant to increase the number of bilingual signs installed in the store. It also demands that the company addresses customers over its loudspeaker in both Welsh and English.
Marks & Spencer responded to the criticism by claiming it had consulted the Welsh Language Commissioner on signage. A spokesperson for the company added that staff who spoke Welsh wear tags which state they can help Welsh-speaking customers.
Here at The Sussex Sign Company, we believe that bilingual signage is necessary in some parts of the UK. A company should always respect the identity of a local community.