A furious businessman has accused Angus Council of double standards after hearing of its plans to place a mini-lighthouse on the A92 at the entrance to Arbroath terming the structure a “monstrosity”.
Fraser Ogston, who owns Ogston’s Hotel in the town’s High Street, was speaking after the council ordered him to remove a sign advertising his business just yards away, weeks before approving the lighthouse proposals.
Mr Ogston was told that his advert, at the Westway Retail Park, posed a safety risk as it could distract drivers travelling on the main road from Dundee.
He has spoken out after similar concerns were raised about the impact of the mini-lighthouse, which will be installed as part of Year of the Light celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the Bell Rock lighthouse.
Originally from Shetland, the red lighthouse is around 15ft tall and will be placed on open ground at Elliot on the verge of the A92.
Mr Ogston said, “I was told that my sign was a danger to the public because people might look at it while they were driving, but now the council wants to put up a monstrosity like this.
“There has been no evidence that my sign caused any danger to drivers, but if anything is going to distract them this will.”
He added, “I have spent over half a million pounds providing the town with a hotel and trying to get the business off the ground. But it’s just one rule for Angus Council and one rule for everybody else.”
Mr Ogston added that in the economic climate the council should be doing all in their power to encourage local enterprise.