IT is one of Huddersfields oldest and grandest buildings.

The iconic grade II listed Britannia Buildings is one of the prized landmarks of St Georges Square.

But it seems some locals arent so keen about the huge advertising posters wrapping around the windows of the building.

One resident complained that the posters which advertise the services of companies being run from there were tacky.

Philip Charlesworth even went so far as to describe the signs as vandalism.

But a business owner renting one of the offices hit back at the criticism, saying that it relies on people seeing its posters to make money.

The Britannia Buildings was built in 1858 as a town warehouse for local woollen manufacturer George Crosland.

It was built by local architect William Cocking in the Italian style as a replica of the Ducal Palace in Florence.

It became the headquarters of the Huddersfield Building Society the forerunner of the Yorkshire Building Society in 1928.

In 2006 the building was put on the market for s2.7m after a plan to convert it into flats, a restaurant and shops was abandoned.

The building is now rented out and currently occupied by the Gencare Dental Clinic and a furniture shop.

Two years ago businessman Ron Kitchen, of Edgerton, highlighted a range of eyesores in the town centre.

These included the Edwardian building, which he criticised for displaying white advertising stickers in every window.

Mr Charlesworth, of Waterloo, contacted the Examiner to complain about the propertys appearance.

He said: Its good to know that empty shops in the town centre, now an eyesore, are to be tidied up.

Its frustrating that the tenants of Britannia Buildings have filled every window with large advertising posters.

Local environmentally concerned groups have done much to tidy up their localities, yet we now have solicitors and dentists once the least obtrusive of businesses defacing the frontage of one of the towns most admired buildings.

Are there no constraints to this vandalism by those professionals who ought to be setting an example to other tradesmen?

Whats wrong with a well-polished brass plate? Meanwhile Britannia Buildings disgraces its distinguished setting.

The furniture business has not been operating for some months but the manager of the adjoining dental clinic hit back at the complaints.

Practice manager Emma Steele said: Im very surprised by this because weve been here for three years and this is the first complaint weve had.

We have a business and were allowed to advertise to let people know that were here.

Plenty of other businesses have posters in their windows and were not going to take them down just because a few people object to them.

Its an old building and its very nice so maybe thats what the problem is.

We offer an NHS service as well as private treatments so people need to see us and our business otherwise they might not know were here because many dont come to this end of town.

We get the majority of our business because of people seeing the adverts were in a prime spot for people passing from the train station and the George Hotel.