AN hotelier has hit out against a local authority decision to take enforcement action to have an unauthorised advertising hoarding removed.

Mr Mark Watson, proprietor of the Jersey Farm hotel, near Barnard Castle, had originally sited the A board on a trailer in a field beside the A688 road near Stainton Grove. But following a letter from Teesdale District Council asking him to remove it, he has placed it in a field on the A67 Darlington road.

Planning officer Mr Trevor Watson asked members of the council's planning south committee on Wednesday for authorisation to remove any unauthorised signs relating to the hotel, and this was agreed.

The chairman, Coun Robin Simpson, said the authority had written to Mr (Mark) Watson, but had received no response. He had not applied for advertising permission to site the hoarding, which was unsightly and could be a danger to motorists turning to look at it.

Coun Richard Betton was concerned at the cost to the authority. Even if they did not have to take enforcement action, it was still involving officer time. Coun Ian Galletley wondered if they would be so keen to take action if the sign said Support British Farming or another worthy cause.

Mr (Trevor) Watson replied that not all advertising signs were unauthorised or needed consent. The regulations were not the clearest in the world.

They were always talking about consistency, felt Coun Madeleine Walton. They had to protect the interests of the people who went to great lengths to comply with the rules. "We have to be seen to be doing our best to be fair," she said. "We are never going to catch everybody."

Coun Jo Fergus thought they might be accused of being two-faced. They were saying they must support tourism and farming, then when a farm hammered by foot-and-mouth tried to do something, they sought to stop it.

Mr (Mark) Watson said his family had run the Jersey Farm for 28 years. If not allowed to keep the sign, he was seriously thinking about packing up.

"The government has said businesses can advertise in country areas as long as the signs are portable," he said. "I have not yet responded to the council in writing, though I have spoken to the chief executive, because I am preparing a case to fight this. I have the backing of OneNortheast and the Northumbria tourist board intend to fight this all the way.