Burger King, Tunbridge Wells, TN1

Tunbridge Wells: Row over burger boards

A solicitor from Tunbridge Wells who hates the signs outside the new Burger King has called a meeting with the fast food bosses.
David Charity, 59, who lives just yards away from the Mount Pleasant Road restaurant, will try on Wednesday Feb 7 to persuade them to take down the "red, 12ft long" boards.
Mr Charity of York Road who is taking photographs for a book he plans on Tunbridge Wells' architecture, said planning permission should never have been granted.
The city lawyer who specialises in shipping disputes, said: "These signs must be removed if it is the last thing I do in my working life. Every single person I have spoken to said they should come down. How on earth did the town council give permission for this monstrosity? It's a beautiful building that has been despoiled."
He added the job of town council planners was to improve the quality of buildings "not the opposite".
Spokeswoman for TWBC, Diane Talbot said: "Burger King did not get planning permission for these signs and we have written and told them they are not authorised. We are asking them to make the signs smaller, so they are something similar to what was there before, when it was the 101 Travel Cafe."
Burger King spokesman Ross Quirk said: "Obviously we follow planning procedure so it will now be investigated why it has not happened - if in fact there is a problem. I think there's been a breakdown in communication."
Asked if the company would take them down if asked, he replied: "Of course".

13th June 2001 -
The retrospective Planning Application (TW/01/00370/ADV/GH2 of 21st February) for the red signs has been refused.

Residents writing to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council had the following objections:

Ironically Burger King will not need the signs at all, as due to their malfunctioning or inadequate filters in the ventilation system, the eatery is identifiable within a 1/4 mile radius.
- With easterly and northerly winds, the alley between York Road and Dudley Road smells during peak hours like a frying pan.
- With westerly winds, shops in Monson Road are affected.
- Best witness is the owner of the flower-stand at Habitat, who said "this condition exists every day from the first day on."
During the night the ventilation is left on and its drumming noise can be heard in the area.
The signs are wholly out of place on a listed building in a conservation area.
The signs are bright and garish and draw far too much attention to an insignificant and rather tasteless Burger King outlet.
The justification I was given by Burger King was that "they are no bigger than the Habitat banners next door". This is nonsense. There are the following major differences between the Red signs and Habitat’s banners:
- The signs are bright red. The banners are tasteful light blue.
- The signs are made of metal and overhang the pavement. The banners are linen and hang between the pillars.
- Victorian buildings did not have huge metal signs on them. Greek temples did have banners hanging outside them in 500 B.C. and later.
The signs are too big, too garish and are ugly, and in gross bad taste. The signs despoil a beautiful building.

York Road - Inconveniences

York Road in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England
Information on history of York Road and Church Road .
Find photos, old maps and full texts of various books about Tunbridge Wells (1810, 1855, 1912, before 1946).

LINK to internet site of the Telephone House Neighbours Association - www.telephonehouse.org.uk

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