Media News - Boston Spa Beer Festival, Boston Spa, Yorkshire.

Festival signs back up after clampdown

FROM THE WETHERBY NEWS 06 February 2009
By Vicky Carr

NEW signs have been erected advertising the Boston Spa Beer Festival after "cancelled" was written across the old ones.

Dismayed organisers were baffled when they began receiving phone calls from worried ticket holders who had seen the cancellation signs on roads around the village.

It emerged a Leeds City Council employee was behind the changes, after spotting what he believed to be illegal signs along the road.

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said: "This event did not describe itself as being for the community – it was advertising a beer festival with a company sponsorship name attached.

"This style is typical of roving businesses using local halls to promote events for their own commercial gain."

But festival organisers expressed their disappointment that such drastic action had been taken.

They said that instead of either contacting them or just removing the signs, the council had put up "cancelled" notices which could have drastically reduced numbers at their charity event.

Rachel Bentley, who is helping with publicity for the beer festival, said: "Hands up we've done something we shouldn't, but we didn't do it purposefully. We did it in good faith."

The council spokesman said the placards had been placed across a wide area, including near the A58, and some of them had become detached, ending up as street litter.

"The event is in late February, which is too long for placards to be up for. Adverts on lampposts, verges and street furniture create road safety hazards, eyesores and litter, and can cause injury. They also attract other illegal advertising," said the spokesman.

"The council does not tolerate such adverts unless there are exceptional circumstances, one of which is advertising for local community benefit and a set of guidelines has been established, which was reviewed only last November.

"Event organisers are welcome to contact the council to discuss what would be acceptable advertising before an event so that we may help them to go ahead without any problems."

But, after speaking to the council, the festival has now been allowed to erect amended signs this week and everything is still on track for the event.

The first ever Boston Spa Beer Festival will raise funds for St Mary's Primary School and the village hall.

It takes place in the hall on Saturday, February 21. Doors open from noon until 10pm and more than 600 people are expected to attend.

For more information, visit the website at www.bostonspabeerfestival.co.uk.