PENARTH councillors have branded a planning application to have a new stainless steel sign advertising the Penarth Pier Pavilion as “unnecessary and inappropriate”.

During a planning committee meeting last Wednesday, April 30, councillors questioned why the pavilion needed a stainless steel sign spelling out “Penarth Pier Pavilion” advertising its existence when it was already well known in the area.

Councillor Philip Rapier, who represents the St Augustines ward, questioned whether putting a sign on the building was necessary and warned that it was unfair to surrounding businesses.

"It's been like that since Edwardian times, so why the sudden difficulty to locate the building?" he said.

"The next thing they will be asking for is neon flashing lights,"

He added that he suspected the reason for the name change was to "drum up business" and make it stand out from surrounding outlets, but in his opinion a name change was "grossly unfair" to other businesses that were "fighting for trade in freezing weather."

"People have no difficulty in finding it and making their own choices, so I don't see how it's necessary," he said.

Councillor Clive Williams, who represents the Plymouth ward, was also against the application for the sign: "I think it would cheapen it," he said.

Councillor Anthony Ernest, who represents the Plymouth ward, said that the existing signage was “very tasteful and perfectly adequate” and that as a Grade II listed building it "should not be defaced by signage".

Chair of the planning committee meeting, councillor Neil Thomas, concluded that the council were not in support of the change as it was deemed "unnecessary and inappropriate".

The matter will now be decided by the Vale Council planning department.