A businessman is defiantly displaying Christmas decorations outside his premises again this year... despite having been told to take them down in the past.

Two years ago, Braintree Council faced accusations it was being Scrooge-like after it ordered John Benson to take down his Christmas decorations because they breached planning regulations.

Mr Benson runs the Benson School of Motoring in Long Green, Cressing.

The council said the decorations did not have planning permission, which they needed because they contained adverts.

Mr Benson said: "The council aren't very co-operative with us anyway. I anticipate the same sort of thing this year as we had last time."

Published Monday December 15, 2003

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