'Tartan tat' shop facing council probe for having too many signs

Published on Thursday 21 April 2011 15:47

TARTAN tat kings the Gold Brothers are facing a council investigation - for having too many signs on one of their shops.

Planning officials have launched the investigation into the signs outside the Castlehill building owned by the family.

The family runs a souvenir shop in the building, at the entrance to the Edinburgh Castle car park, while another section is also leased to the Old Town Weaving Company, which is operated by "kiltmaker to the stars", Geoffrey Nicholsby.

Mr Nicholsby, who has been involved in various disputes in the past with the Golds, said: "The signs that I have up that are relevant I have permission for and that is all right and correct. There are a lot of other signs there to do with our friends the Golds. I don't know what the story is with the complaint but these signs belong to the Gold Brothers.

"It is a bit cluttered. I think there has got to be common sense about what you do because you do not want to spoil the look of the place.

"My signs are all covered by the original planning. The only thing different to that is I have taken the A-board and hung it underneath my sign but that is just there during the day."

Council planners are cracking down on inappropriate signs on the Royal Mile in a bid to improve the appearance of the historic street. A ban on advertising boards has also been imposed.

City centre councillor Joanna Mowat, a member of the city's planning committee, said: "We will be monitoring all advertising on shopfronts on the Royal Mile because it is concerning not just me but the whole council is concerned.

"We are in receipt of a large number of complaints on this and you just have to walk up and down up the Royal Mile and ask 'is this how we want to represent the historic heart of the city?'

"I was off in Italy last week and we have a long way to go to approach some of the standards of other European cities. From the state of the pavements to the quality of how the town looks we have a lot of work to do, so I am encouraged we are beginning that."

Council chiefs carried out a site visit at the Castlehill premises last Friday and they are now to compile a report with recommendations of whether to take enforcement action.

A city council spokeswoman said: "I can confirm that a complaint has been received in relation to signage at 555 Castlehill. This complaint is being investigated by our planning enforcement team and a report will be prepared by the head of planning in due course."

Earlier this year, the Gold Brothers were fined 4500 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to a criminal charge of "misleading" customers at a Royal Mile store by selling Chinese cashmere as "Made in Scotland".

In 2009, council planners ordered them to remove the sign and lighting at their Royal Mile Jewellery store because they did not have planning consent for them.

Dildar Singh Gold, one of the partners in the Gold Brothers business, was not available for comment today.