Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Dave Burrows
Leader: Set out your stall and face a hefty fine
Thursday 12th January 2012, 12:30PM GMT.
It is one of the oldest of trading traditions. You display your wares outside your shop, showing them off and drawing in the customers.
Throughout the centuries there have never been any problems. But in these days of the health and safety crusade the practice is not seen as a harmless one, but one fraught with risks.
Traders in New Street, Wellington, have received a letter from Telford & Wrekin Council warning them to move their goods off the street, with the threat of a £1,000 fine if they fail to comply.
The council says the displays are “considered as being dangerous to pedestrians.”
So far as we are aware, the Princess Royal Hospital has not been swamped with cases of people walking into fruit and veg stalls or getting tangled up in roadside clothes racks. In fact, having made this claim of danger, it is up to the council to come up with the hard evidence to support it.
How many accidents have there been? Have there been any at all?
The danger of tripping over a kerb, stubbing a toe on uneven paving, or accidentally walking into Wellington’s town clock, seems at least as likely – or more likely – than suffering injury as a result of attention-seeking streetside displays.
It would be different if New Street had traffic, and people were being squeezed off the pavements. But New Street is pedestrianised, and the aim of pedestrianisation is to liberate such streets and promote street life, taking them above and beyond their role as thoroughfares.
Of course, there has to be a balance, and it is possible to envisage low displays which would be an unacceptable tripping hazard.
But common sense rather than a draconian blanket ban should be the guide, and the council should work with the traders to find a sensible compromise.
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Not half as dangerous as bumping into a no-win-no-fee litigation lawyer…more commonly known as ‘ambulance chasing scam artist’. You all wanted your Americanism’s and now you’ve got ‘em and it ain’t going to change any time soon…and there’s another one that needs sending back.
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My dear anonymous letter writer,
At what point in scribing your submission did you foolishly think that your local council has the slightest interest in helping the small or independent trader in these harsh economic times ….????
I would counter the said pedestrian is far more likely to trip and cause themselves harm on the poorly refurbished street paving in many of our local centres (and yes it has happened numerous times – search this site before anyone starts)
Telford and Wrekin Council, under varying leaderships, has done much to destroy our local centres in favour of the great Telford-o-tropolis so I wouldn’t expect much change now.
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“My dear anonymous letter writer”
It isn’t a letter Shropsman – the clue is in the first word of the title “Leader”….
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it was getting rediculous and seemed to be one shop in particular that must have increased its floor space by 25% by placing loads of wares in the street and then sheltered it by putting a frame and tarp over it. it looked like a market stall.
This is probably one way of sorting that out without singling out that shop keeper and at the end of the day there is only going to be one shop that would be effected by this as no one else was doing this except maybe the guy who sells out of the ally but he wasn’t coming out that far.
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Oh my god Elf and Saftey gone nuts again
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a) “‘Elf and safety” is not funny when Richard Littlejohn says it.
b) see a.
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u wanna stop the cylists bombing down the st so called pedestrianised or are cylists imune to regulations you should put a pavement in for them to ride on while your at it
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Presumable the council will next be outlawing the abundance of wheelie bins that regularly blight our streets & pavements? Following the abolition of the ‘traditional’ dustmen of yesteryear we all now have to navigate our way safely around these (hazards) without any danger of suing the council… or perhaps we should reconsider?
With the decline in traditional high street shopping this draconian measure does nothing to support the high street retailer who deserves better. Next the council will be suggesting that customers are not allowed to enter shops in case they fall foul of a retail display..!
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Why should this be any more of a tripping hazard than displays inside the shop? Total Rubbish!!
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This is yet just another hate crime by those that for the last 45 years has tried hard to Kill what should have been the heart of the new town.
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absolutely right mate , why is the council now assuming liability for any negligence in enforcement surely all liability should rest on the trader? How many injuries have resulted from shopping in the high street , no more or less than anywhere else in the country no doubt , every trader should fill the street and refuse to pay any “fine” poll tax them out!!
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I realise that many comments assume that the Council are just being busybodies. But living in Shrewsbury, I regularly have to step onto the road in front of traffic because a local trader selfishly chooses to stack a whole range of furniture and appliances upon the pavement leaving enough room for just one person to pass.
This is a busy road with over 8,000 vehicles per day and is one of the main routes into town for pedestrians.
It an absolute nightmare to be faced with someone pushing a pram towards you.
The trader has been prosecuted in the past for creating a trip hazard when a pedestrian fell over a sun lounger and was injured, but he still insists on doing this every day.
The Council are so ‘pro traders’ they do nothing, but I wish they would stop this totally selfish behaviour.
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Where is this inconsiderate oik?.
“pedestrian fell over a sun lounger” Needs to learn a bit of self responsibility and look where they are going surely .
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health and safety trying to ruin another lovely town. never mind the way things are going we will be back in draconion times,
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