Kirklees Council has explained why it is unhappy with the signage on a popular new Lebanese restaurant in Cross Church Street, Huddersfield.
Ghassan Bateha has been ordered to make changes to his wooden sign advertising the new grill, Ugarit, less than three weeks after its opening.
Ugarit was an ancient port city, the ruins of which are located at what is now called Ras Shamra, a headland in northern Syria.
Mr Bateha told the Examiner he was dismayed at Kirklees Council's diktat, saying he had spent a lot of money on his new restaurant and and had brought an old building back to life again. Previously it was a run down estate agents and had been vacant for some time.
And he was backed by leading councillor Andrew Cooper, (Greens, Newsome), who has highlighted the issue and asked for the council’s Planning Sub-Committee to revisit it.
Examiner readers piled in to support Mr Bateha too.
One withering comment by someone called Tates on the Examiner website, said: “I totally agree that the sign is not in keeping with the rest of the town.
“It is new, modern, smart, clean and represents diversity and a hopefullly thriving business.
“It is therefore totally out of character with the rest of the town and does not fit in with the general demeanour of apathy, neglect and decay.
“The council along with the listed buildings people and the Civic Society would seemingly prefer such buildings being left unoccupied to fester and decay. They seem keen to obstruct, rather than support investment and forward thinking which just might lead to some salvation of our town.”
A council spokeswoman said: “The council planning service are currently assessing two applications that seek consent to carry out alterations to the shop front and signage to Ugarit, Cross Church Street.
“Recently planning permission and listed building consent have been granted for alterations to this building to enable the change of use to a restaurant.
“The council are supportive of this new business which adds to the town centre offer.
“Ugarit is located in a Grade II listed building and alterations to the front have recently been carried out without the benefit of consent.
“It is felt that the cladding to the shop front is not in keeping with the buildings Grade II listing.
“The council has contacted the applicant’s planning agent to discuss a way forward but so far no solution has been agreed upon.
“Clr Andrew Cooper has requested that the planning permission be considered by the Huddersfield Planning Sub-Committee.”
