Businesses told to remove unauthorised signage on Chester Rows
Cheshire West and Chester Council has stepped up efforts to protect Chester’s historic Rows, with new heritage signs installed and warnings issued to businesses displaying unauthorised signage.
The move follows the completion of a project this summer, funded by Chester BID, which saw fifteen new heritage signs placed at the entrances to the Rows.
The signs are designed to promote over 90 businesses and form part of ongoing conservation work to preserve the city’s historic shopping galleries.
The Council said it has seen an increase in unauthorised and criminal activity on the Rows, including the display of advertisements and works to listed buildings carried out without consent.
Letters have been sent to businesses still displaying banners, A-Boards or other signage attached to the historic fabric of the city, asking for them to be removed by the end of October.
The Council said any A-Boards still on display after this date will be removed, and legal proceedings will follow for any signage that remains attached.
Councillor Stuart Bingham, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhood Pride, said:
“In the past we have advised businesses to remove signage and this has been done. However, we then find the signage being re-installed. As the use of this signage escalates it has a detrimental impact on the character of the city and the Rows themselves.
“There is a claim that without unauthorised signage businesses would suffer, however this ignores the damage to the city’s appearance and reputation. If all the historic Rows were obscured by signage this would reduce the very reason Chester is such an attractive place to live, work, learn and visit.
“The Chester Rows present a totally unique shopping experience, attracting both local shoppers and visitors from around the world. But their uniqueness also creates challenges including highlighting which businesses are on the upper level. The new signage will now help with navigating the Rows and promoting the businesses.
“A second challenge is for accessibility to the Rows. At the same time that the new signs have been installed, new QR codes have also been fixed to the steps that point to an online map showing accessible routes onto the Rows that avoid the steep and narrow steps.”
The Council’s Planning Team has invited business owners to discuss permanent signage solutions, particularly those whose premises are located at Row level and may not have street-level visibility. Businesses needing advice can contact [email protected]
for support.
Licensing for A-Boards in the city centre was introduced in 2018 to manage clutter and improve pedestrian safety. A-Boards are now only permitted in limited circumstances, and full details of the licence conditions are available on the Council’s website.
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