Kinsale traders furious at ban on sandwich boards

One of the country’s top tourist towns, and a key stop on the Wild Atlantic Way, is in revolt over a ban on sandwich boards.

Traders and tourist leaders in Kinsale, Co Cork, hit out last night at the region’s municipal authority after it issued dozens of letters to business owners instructing them to remove all sandwich advertising boards from the scenic harbour town’s footpaths.

They also criticised the lack of consultation and the timing of the move, ahead of the traditionally busy August bank holiday weekend.

The municipal authority, acting on behalf of the council, issued letters this week instructing traders to remove the sandwich boards. It cited the 2005 Disability Act, and the town’s status as an architectural conservation area, and signage should be minimal and discreet, and should complement landscape. The letter also said the ban was required to maintain unrestricted pedestrian access and flow in the designated Age Friendly town.

Jerome Lordan, who runs Kinsale Harbour Cruises, described the blanket issuing of letters as a “ham-fisted approach” which would hit tourism and water-related business particularly hard.

“I have no intention of complying with this direction. It would be business suicide,” he said.

“I haven’t got a building or a premises. My business is on the water, in the harbour. I have one board outside the tourist office, and another one on the slipway. And even with that, I get 30 to 40 calls a day from people wondering where can they take a cruise.

“I’ve had the board outside the tourist office for about 20 years. It does not hinder pedestrian access.

“If I remove that, my business effectively disappears.”

“There was no consultation at all. That’s what’s really driving people mad.”

Elmer Kerr, a co-owner of the Lemon Leaf Café, noted that the farmer’s market, which blocks a street and footpaths, had escaped.

“This is a Cork County Council move. I checked with other towns like Youghal, Mallow, Clonakilty, Fermoy Mitchelstown, Midleton, and Cobh, and none of the businesses there have received threatening letters like this,” he said.

He pointed out Kinsale is the first town at the southern end of the Wild Atlantic Way, and is at the heart of tourism in West Cork.

“I look at the Ring of Kerry, at towns like Kenmare, Killorglin, Dingle, and Killarney, and tourists see sandwich boards in all those towns — they can see where the walking tours are, where the cruises are starting, what the hotels have for afternoon tea, the menus. That’s part of the make-up of good tourism.

“To get threatening letters like this at the height of the tourist season is just not on.”

Cork County Council was not available for comment yesterday.