Signs are bad for traders

By Callan Date
THE signs are bad for a group of Hallam businesses after they were ordered to remove advertising signage from outside their shopfronts.
Several traders in Hallam Road say turnover has dropped since Casey by-laws officers forced them to remove an array of promotional material over the last month.
Topp Party Supplies owner Richard Worsteling is one local businessman disappointed with the decision.
Mr Worsteling said he had been told to remove advertising material, including a nine-foot inflatable alien, as it posed a risk to motorists travelling along the busy main road.
“They are blaming all the accidents on Hallam Road as being caused by the signage, which is ridiculous,” Mr Worsteling said.
Further enraging Mr Worsteling is the council’s decision to remove his operational portable toilet from outside his shop.
He said he provided the service, which he kept clean and maintained, for customers and anyone else who needed to use a lavatory.
“We put it there for people to use. We can’t have people coming through the factory all the time to use the staff toilet.”
Mr Worsteling said his business needed prominent signage, as it was a regular shop nestled among many industrial style factories.
“I can understand they (Casey council) have got rules and regulations but I think they have gone too far.
“I use the alien as an eye-catcher to let people know we are open,” he said.
Fellow trader Colin Bakof, owner of NOS Computers, said he too was frustrated after being told to remove a banner tied to a fence outside his business.
“You can’t advertise or promote your business outside your physical premises. A huge amount of people drive along Hallam Road and now they don’t know we are here,” Mr Bakof said.
He said NOS Computers was located in a factory behind two other factories.
“It’s hard to physically find it (factory) if you haven’t been there before.”
Casey manager of planning Bob Baggio said the council was required by law to enforce the Casey planning scheme.
“The signage and portable toilet (at Topp Party Supplies) were in breach of the planning scheme,” he said.
“Also much of the signage are promotional signs which are contrary to council’s outdoor advertising policy and not permitted by council.”
Mr Baggio said council recently implemented a new program designed to improve the image and appearance of the city’s commercial and industrial area.
“Council does, however, recognise that businesses have an important need to promote themselves and is happy to work with businesses to ensure that other more appropriate signage is provided – subject to the issue of a planning permit,” he said.