Councillors queued up to criticise the “ridiculous” decision to ban a restaurant’s sign.
Huddersfield town centre restaurant Ugarit was ordered to remove its sign just a few weeks after it launched in the summer.
Planning officials said the wooden cladding used on the Cross Church Street premises was not in keeping with the town centre conservation area.
But councillors stepped in, referring it to the planning sub-committee.
And they have now used their powers to overrule officials to allow the sign to stay.
Clr Andrew Cooper, who brought the matter to council, queried why Ugarit’s sign was being singled out when Cross Church Street was covered in “garish” plastic signs of takeaways.
“Is this lifting the character of Cross Church Street or diminishing it?” he asked members of the sub-committee.
Councillors of all parties were agreed that they backed the business and not planning officers.
Clr Jean Calvert, said: “It’s an absolutely ridiculous situation when you look at all the signs on Cross Church Street and John William Street.
“If you look at that then we can’t possibly refuse it.”
Clr Sheikh Ullah said there was a great mix of things on the street and he couldn’t understand why Ugarit was being picked on.
Clr Rob Walker said: “Compared to the other garish signs on that road it’s an improvement.”
Clr Bernard McGuin said: “Anyone who walks down Cross Church Street can see it’s an absolute nightmare and this sign is actually good.”
Chairman of the sub-committee, Clr Terry Lyons, added: “To pick on somebody like this whose sign is more upmarket than downmarket is an absolute disgrace.”
Clr Ken Sims said: “Obviously we’ve been asleep for some time on this conservation area and suddenly we’ve woken up.
“It’s strange to refuse this one when it’s such a hotch potch all down that street.
“Either sort them all out or allow this one. To single one out is wrong.”
Restaurant boss, Ghassan Bateha, who moved from London to open the venue, received a host of supportive messages from Examiner readers after the council decision in August.
He told the meeting that people liked the sign and pointed out that global chain Nando’s, close by, which is also in the conservation area, had a wooden sign.
Speaking after councillors overturned the refusal, he said he was relieved his hard work to build up a new business was not in vain.
“I am very pleased,” he said. “I have had support from the Facebook page of the Examiner and people came to the restaurant and said they supported me.
“We’re going to move on now and continue the hard work.
“The restaurant is going well, people love it, I have a lot of new customers every day.”
