THE owner of an iconic café has been forced to change the colour of the building by the “killjoy” council.
The Beano café in North Lane, Canterbury, Kent, had built up a reputation for itself thanks, in part, to its bright yellow shopfront and a sign bearing the logo of the famous comic.
But due to the second phase of a crackdown on listed buildings with “garish” appearances in the city centre, the family-run business was threatened with legal action in April.
The café is now a dull beige colour and the owners say the change has affected business as no one now wants to visit.
Mustafa Kovak, 18, claims Canterbury City Council (CCC) gave his family just four weeks to get the repainting done and install a new hand-painted sign, putting them out of pocket to the tune of £600.
He told KentOnline: “We had to change the whole shopfront, which was quite annoying .
“I think it was better the way it was before – it stood out in a good way and helped to attract people into the cafe, especially students and tourists.
“Since we’ve made the changes the council asked for, we’ve seen fewer customers through the door and I think it’s because the place doesn’t stand out as much anymore.”
The café though is just one of 22 businesses which have been recently warned to alter inappropriate signage, lights and paintwork – or face being prosecuted.
The council says the frontages of some listed buildings have been altered without permission and do not fit in with the heritage and history of the city.
It started an initial crackdown last February with dozens of high street shops found to have broken planning rules.
The council has now expanded the operation to other parts of the city.
Council deputy leader Michael Dixey, Liberal Democrat, said: “We were all stung by the national headlines that compared Canterbury to a second-rate Las Vegas a few years ago and we all knew action had to be taken.
“We’re really pleased that many of the businesses we targeted in the first phase of this crackdown have responded positively.
“After 18 months, the few who have dragged their feet have now been served with enforcement notices.
“Our message is getting across to business owners who are really engaging with us and are genuinely keen to do the right thing.”
It is a criminal offence to alter a listed building without permission, meaning offenders can face fines or even jail time.
Some business owners have accused the council of using heavy-handed methods to make shopkeepers and landlords implement the changes.
Christopher Nevill, who owns two Grade II-listed buildings which are home to a nail salon and a hairdresser in the high street, says he felt intimidated after he received an enforcement notice last month.
The council took issue with the shade of pink his building had been painted despite having gained permission to repaint the building in St Peter’s Street a lighter colour.
He said the local authority could just have sent a “nice email” asking about the progress but instead, they used “a sledgehammer to crack a nut”.
Listed buildings are protected by strict building regulations and it is a criminal offence to alter a property without permission first.
If you want to alter or extend a listed building in a way that affects its character or appearance as a building of special architectural or historic interest, or even demolish it, you must first apply for Listed Building Consent from your local planning authority, Historic England says.
A planning authority can insist that all work carried out without consent is reversed.
It is a criminal offence to carry out work, or ask for work to be carried out, to a listed building where consent is required.
The penalty for doing so can be severe – an unlimited fine, up to 12 months’ imprisonment, or both.
Others though have welcomed the crackdown by the council, saying it’s important to honour the history of the cathedral city.
The Canterbury Society and the Canterbury Heritage Design Forum offer advice to new business owners and have been working on a guide to shopfront design.
The chair of the Canterbury Society Hilary Brian approves of the council taking a proactive role in sorting out what is seen as eyesore shopfronts.
She said: “With its World Heritage Site status, Canterbury is a city where you should be able to come and immerse yourself in its rich heritage.
“It is in all of our interests to ensure the heart of the city remains healthy, vibrant and is a place where people want to visit, shop and spend their leisure time.
“Garish and overbearing shopfronts stand out like a sore thumb and shatter that perception in an instant.
“I am convinced shopfronts that are sympathetic to the past will help drive footfall because the area becomes more attractive and that breeds confidence.”
