Hundreds sign petition supporting Harborough tanning salon after it was told to remove window display

A petition has been launched after a Market Harborough tanning salon lost a planning appeal over its ‘unsuitable’ window display.

Some 750 people have so far signed the petition calling for the display to stay in place.

Residents have also thrown their support behind the salon, with comments saying the decision is wrong and it brightens up the street.

The window display - a large vinyl image of a woman sunbathing in a bikini - has been under dispute for nearly 18 months after Harborough District Council planning officers ordered owner Jim Cole, 29, to remove it from the Coventry Road shop.

The local council claimed the images were ‘highly visible in a prominent location’ and after an appeal by Mr Cole, the planning inspector agreed with the council’s decision and dismissed Mr Cole’s appeal, saying the images cause ‘detriment’ to the character of the surrounding area.

But local resident Adam Hutcheson who started the petition disagrees. He said: “Our local tanning salon has hit the headlines having its planning permission denied for the shop window advertising. A woman in a bikini laying on a beach is perfect advertising for a sunbed salon.

“People need to give their heads a wobble and let this display stay. It’s ridiculous.”

And Harborough Mail readers seemed to agree, with hundreds of comments supporting the store on our social media pages.

One reader said: “Totally ridiculous, it’s only a woman in a bikini. I don’t understand why it’s a problem as she’s covered up.”

Another commented: “I’ve walked past it and there’s nothing I feel is unsuitable about it. Let the owner make a living with his business. It’s a tanning shop - end of!”

Jim thanked the community for their support and urged locals to sign the petition.

He said: “It’s disappointing we have lost our appeal against our shop front window especially with the extraordinary amount of support we have received.

“To cater to our current shop layout we need to keep the vast majority of the window covered for privacy of our clients.

“Our lovely lady has been up now for way over 12 months, the display is doing no harm whatsoever and I think it’s pathetic this has all happened. HDC need to take a look at all the empty properties around the town and stop making it harder on small independent businesses to succeed.

“Someone from the Harborough community has kindly set up a petition in our favour and with everything going on we really would appreciate support in signing.

“Thank you for all your support and positive comments.”

The planning inspector said the images were ‘too overwhelming to the modest shopfront’ and occupied all of the available space within the windows.

The report read: “I found that the window graphics, because of their size and siting on all panes of the bay, are highly visible in a prominent location on one of the principal approaches into the square. They would detrimentally affect the character and appearance of the conservation area.”

The salon will be forced to remove the images following the inspector’s decision, or face further consequences. An appeal to the High Court can be made if they can argue the decision on a point of law.