Colchester tanning salon fined for flyposting (From Gazette)

Colchester tanning salon fined for flyposting

8:00pm Monday 8th February 2010

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A TANNING salon has been ordered to pay £1,400 after flyposting scores of adverts.

Posters for tanning and beauty services offered by Soleil, based in The Willows, Mersea Road, Colchester, were put up across the borough without permission.

Magistrates fined owner Sarah Gray £1,000 and ordered her to pay £400 costs after she admitted a charge of flyposting.

Shane Taylor, Colchester Council’s street care team leader, said it was the first time the authority had taken anyone to court for flyposting. Normally it hands out penalty notices.

He said the council decided to pursue the case in court because it took officers four days in October to remove the offending items.

Mrs Gray branded the fine ridiculous. She said she hired someone to put up the posters, not realising it was illegal.

She added: “The moment I knew it was wrong, they were taken down.

“They collected about 50 and we went out and collected another 50.”

She added she agreed to plead guilty after receiving the prosecution papers and being told she would get either a small fine or a conditional discharge.

She said: “I was so shocked.”

Mr Taylor said there were very few cases where roadside advertising was allowed.

He added: “Without the permission of the landowners, businesses aren’t allowed to put literature like this on the highway.”

Tim Young, councillor responsible for street and waste services, said: “I’m really glad the court has taken it seriously.”

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