A Berkhamsted butcher has criticised council officials after a sign advertising a charity event he is organising was ripped down.
Joe Collier, owner of the Gravel Path butchers Eastwoods, was given permission by Berkhamsted Castle to erect a sign along the railings of the historical ruins.
The sign, which cost Mr Collier £100, was advertising a cookery event with top chef A
nthony Worrall Thompson next month. All the money raised will go towards paying for vital care for seriously and terminally-ill children in the local community.
But just days after he put the sign up, Mr Collier was shocked to find it was missing.
At first he thought it had been blown away or vandalised, but he later discovered the sign had been taken down by Dacorum Borough Council.
Mr Collier said: "I am disgusted. It was put up for a local community event and it wasn't as if I was trying to advertise Eastwoods.
"They could have at least told me they were taking it down. The sign had my number on and after all it is my property.
"I think this was really mean of them."
Mr Collier claims part of the sign had been damaged when it was taken down and he is so furious that he intends to write to the Mayor of Dacorum Brian Ayling in protest.
In response, a spokesman for the borough council, Amy Bingham, said: "While we are sympathetic to charity events, there are very strict rules which govern their advertising.
"The sign was taken down as it was considered to be detrimental to highway safety. It was also seen to be visually intrusive, having an adverse affect on the amenity," she said.
She added: "The illegal display of an advertisement is a criminal offence.
"Regulations state that any advertisement for a charity purpose must not exceed 0.6 of a square metre, otherwise they would need advertisement consent from the council.
"As for claims the sign was damaged, the council wasn't aware of this and even when the owner collected it, he made no comment that he thought it had been damaged.
"He still hasn't made a formal complaint to the council, which would be the next step should he wish to take this matter any further."
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