ANOTHER West Somerset business has fallen foul of advertising rules and been ordered to take down banners from outside an Exmoor pub.

Andre Korreman, the manager of Ralegh's Cross Inn, accused West Somerset Council of using "bush tactics" by threatening him with legal action if the banners were not removed by today (Friday).

Mr Korreman got into trouble after updating existing banners advertising everything from breakfasts to Christmas parties and said he had quickly complied with the council's request.

But the disappearance of the banners left customers fearing the popular inn was being closed having only just been bought by a new owner following nine months in administration.

Mr Korreman said: "Our staff are extremely upset as they know the impact this will have on the stability of their jobs.

"It is bureaucracy like this that bring down businesses, especially in the economic downturn."

But a spokesman for West Somerset Council said the authority had had no choice but to act after a number of similar cases elsewhere in the district.

He said the council had received a complaint about the size and number of banners displayed outside Ralegh's Cross which did not have 'advertisement consent' and which might pose a risk to highway safety.

He said the council had tried to telephone Mr Korreman beforehand but had been left with no choice but to send a letter after being unable to contact him.

"We received a complaint about the banners and we have to deal with these things in a consistent and fair way.

"We have given Mr Korreman the opportunity to make an advertisement consent application and we would encourage him to work with us.

"We are not in the business of threatening anybody but we have to make sure we respond to complaints in the correct way.

"We have to apply the planning laws and have to be consistent in doing so."

In a letter to "the owner" of Ralegh's Cross, the council's enforcement officer Peter Lean wrote: "The district council has received a complaint in regard to the new banner-style advertisement signs recently erected at your licensed premises.

"In particular, the impact these large banner signs which are erected at the entrances have on vehicles entering and leaving the licensed premises and also passing along the nearby main road.

"With a view to regularising this matter, I should be obliged if you will ensure that all the unauthorised advertisements are removed by Friday, September 28, 2012.

"Failure to comply with this request will leave me no alternative but to seek authority to commence prosecution proceedings for the display of the unauthorised advertisements."

The letter went on to explain that the "owner/occupier" could apply for advertisement consent to retain some of the banners but warned it was "unlikely" permission would be given to display them all.

Mr Lean added: "The council is aware you have recently acquired the premises and considers that it adopts a very reasonable attitude in its approach to advertisements displayed for business premises.

"But the council considers that the number of unauthorised advertisements currently displayed is excessive."

Mr Korreman said he had been "shocked" and "disgusted" by the tone of the letter and said he should have been given the opportunity to apply for advertisement consent before being "threatened".

He said the previous owner of Ralegh's Cross had displayed almost identical banners for nine years without any complaints and the latest advertisements had simply been "revamped".

In a letter to Mr Lean, Mr Korreman said: "I don't think that you have any idea of what the business has gone through while in administration - staff feeling insecure, some being laid-off - and when we finally get a break and the business is slowly making a turnaround . . . what do you do? You rip the carpet out from under our feet.

"On the Monday I removed the banners we had seven telephone calls asking why we were not doing breakfasts.

"Can you see the impact this is having on the business?

"It is ludicrous that a small business can be so bombarded with bureaucracy like this in very tough economic times, such as we are experiencing.

"I fail to see how our banners could have an impact on people entering our premises.

"I have been told that I should put the banners back and I should challenge you in a court of law, but that is not my nature."

Mr Korreman said he had recently boosted staff numbers from 22 to 27 and said he was upset the issue of the banners could not have been dealt with in a more "diplomatic" way.

In his response, Mr Lean denied his original letter had been threatening but said it had had to be formal to outline the relevant legislation.

He said he believed it was the number of banners that had sparked the complaint and again urged Mr Korreman to apply for advertisement consent at the premises.