High Street Swamped By Posters Is Neither 'Fun' Nor 'Fair'

Anger over number of ads for Irvin's Funfair while Dog Show banner taken down

The arrival of the annual Irvin's Funfair to Chiswick has caused a furore this year, with locals complaining that streets have been 'swamped' by enormous posters advertising the Fair.

While local councillor Peter Thompson accused Irvin's of "taking the mick" with the number of posters plastered over shops and railings, ranging from the High Road, to Chiswick roundabout and the A316, it emerged that the banner for Sunday's Chiswick Dog Show was pulled down and a poster for the Fair has been put in its place.

It is not known who is responsible for pulling down the poster. A spokesperson for the Dog Show said; "It is a great shame that someone or some group feel it is acceptable to remove and dispose of (as we have been unable to find it) a banner that costs a local charity community event £60.... For the first year ever we have also had several posters torn down."

Cllr Thompson has asked Hounslow Council what permission the Fair organisers had for advertising and what action it intends to take if the rules were contravened. Chiswickw4.com has also tried to contact Irvin's for comment, and is awaiting a response from the Council on the issue. Irvin's Fun Fair opened last Thursday in Turnham Green and is due to finish today (Sunday).

Earlier in the week, Waitrose, Greggs, Paperchase and others close to the fair removed posters which were pasted on their shopfronts.

"The High Road and Turnham Green looks an absolute eyesore with all this flyposting which sets a precedent for anyone else who wishes to publicise an event," commented Cllr Thompson.

"I understand that travelling fairs are allowed to put up advertisements if they have given the Council notice but only if they have the permission of the owner of the property or land on which it is placed.  Hounslow need to make it clear if they have authorised this number of posters on our street furniture!"

One local resident said she had spoken Waitrose, Clarks, Greggs, Carpetright and Paperchase and none of them had been asked for permission by Irvin's. These stores had now removed Irvin's posters, but were unhappy about the sticky heavy duty sellotape marks they've left, she said.

"How hard is it for Carillion to check on permitted sizes for advertising hoardings‎ and if they're in contravention, which in these cases they are, to take them down. In addition, all the other advertising banners / hoardings are still in situ!  This is NOT a complex issue and could be dealt with speedily, so why is there a reticence to remove them especially as Carillion employees attend Turnham Green on a daily basis?"

Another local resident who contacted chiswickw4.com said; "Irvin's fun fair comes to Chiswick twice a year. And about a month before their fair arrives on Turnham Green, they completely disfigure the area by swamping it in posters. Irvin's are fully aware that the maximum permitted size of this signage is 0.5 sq m.

"The huge banners that they have affixed to the railings on Turnham Green this time  are about the same size as a full size snooker table- 8'×4'. These huge banners are completely unacceptable in a conservation area."

He said protests to local councillors had resulted in an approach to Carillion who were supposed to meet Irvin's last week to ask them to remove the huge banners.

"Irvin's have "carpet bombed" the high street with their posters. They have stuck them over shop fronts and offices.They have not asked the shop owners permission. And Greggs and Waitrose managers are annoyed at the way these posters have been put up, and they have removed them.

"As the fair is now installed on the green, what is the point of covering the area in gaudy posters ? It's pure, blatant vandalism of the area."

September 23, 2016