NEW warning signs would stop a historic pub being repeatedly damaged by lorries, according to a community campaigner.

The Purple Dog has been plagued by lorries striking its Tudor facade over the last seven years.

During that time, it has been struck eleven times. On four occasions, the impact caused major damage.

Now Theresa Higgins, a Colchester and Essex county councillor, has weighed in with new plans to stop it happening again.

Mrs Higgins has carried out her own location visit and proposed new signs to warn lorries of a length limit ahead as they enter Culver Street West from Head Street.

She also wants a ‘do not follow Sat Nav’ sign installed.

Her proposals have been sent to Essex Highways boss Eddie Johnson.

She has yet to receive a reply.

Mrs Higgins said: “It really hit home to me a year ago when I reported a lorry hitting the pub on Twitter.

“The driver didn’t stop and it was pretty clear he had damaged the Purple Dog and another business.”

She added: “We need to look at this from the perspective of someone who has never been to the town.

“We’ve done that in the Dutch Quarter to stop lorries just following their Sat Navs through there and it appears to have worked.

“Why can’t the same be done in Trinity Street?”

As lorries turn into Culver Street West, there are signs stating the road is pedestrianised between 11am and 4pm Monday to Thursday and between noon and 4pm on Fridays and Saturdays, but there are no warnings about a length limit in Trinity Street.

Mrs Higgins added: “By the time the lorries go into Culver Street West it is too late and the area in which they are supposed to turn [at Pelhams’s Lane] is often taken up by street traders’ stalls.”

Essex County Council has confirmed the signs at the top of Trinity Street, which states there is a 30-foot limit for lorries, are in line with law but Mrs Higgins said: “I believe what’s there is the minimum the law requires, but so much more could be done.”

Her proposals have also been put to Anne Brown, who chairs County Hall’s local highways panel, which has the power to rubber stamp small highways projects.