THE owner of a hotel, which could be forced to close after 25 years, has warned that businesses in Teesdale will continue to fold unless they receive more council backing.

Mark Watson, who runs the Jersey Farm Hotel, near Barnard Castle, claims that trade in the area will die unless the council does not offer more help.

His warning follows a month-long wrangle with planning officers from Teesdale District Council over an advertising sign which Mr Watson put on the back of a trailer near his hotel to attract tourists.

The authority's planning and legal officers say the sign requires council permission, and they could be forced to take legal action to have it removed.

During a meeting of the local authority's development control committee yesterday, council officers said they had tried everything possible to find an acceptable solution.

Elaine Minnighan, the council's head of legal services, said: "We have outlined various options to them, asked them to come in to talk about it, but we have had no response. We have tried to find an amicable solution, but we have to be equitable and treat everyone the same."

Councillor Madeleine Walton said: "We have to be seen to be fair and consistent. We are not going to catch everybody, but we have to be seen to be doing our best."

Mr Watson, who has worked at the family-run hotel for 25 years, has accused the council of trying to force him out of business by not letting him advertise.

He said: "We've had a really tough year and we are struggling to stay open, because foot-and-mouth has hit us hard. All I am trying to do is survive, but the council doesn't care. It is almost as if they want me to close. If the council continues like this, business in the area will die."

The sign stood at the side of the A68 Barnard Castle to Darlington road for a month. Mr Watson has since moved it to a field near the hotel. But yesterday he remained defiant that he would not take it down until he had met council officers.

He said: "We need to sit down and thrash it out, but it all seems so heavy-handed.