Sweet shops 'appalling' shopfront under investigation in Stratford
A SHOP selling Haribo sweets has been blasted as a ‘monstrosity’ and for ruining the look of Stratford’s historic High Street.
Hariboland opened prior to the Easter weekend at 20 High Street, the former home of Roly’s Fudge and next to the landmark Anne Hathaway Tearooms, which is now empty.
The eye-catching shopfront included jumbo-sized stickers of the famous sweet’s Goldbear character and banner signage spelling out Hariboland in electric blue, red and yellow.
Condemnation came swiftly from Stratford residents. And while some pointed out that it was better to have the shop occupied than empty, the majority of comments were negative. One commentator called the shop ‘an eyesore’ while another saw it as an indication that Stratford had ‘gone to the dogs’.
After the furore mounted over the aesthetic integrity of the shop, the Herald contacted owner Paul Ellis, who also ran the Romeo and Gelato shop on Sheep Street. He declined to comment but did say it was changing its name from Hariboland from last night (Wednesday).
Mr Ellis offered no further explanation but the Herald understands that trading standards at Warwickshire County Council and the planning department at Stratford District Council had both launched investigations into the premises.
It would appear that the outlet contravenes the district council’s planning guidelines on shopfronts and signage, which states: “The colour, material and illumination of signs should be subdued and not harsh or aggressive... Harsh and shiny or reflective surfaces such as many acrylics and plastics and chrome should be avoided as should bright and garish colours.”
The district council has the power to force businesses to change the appearance of shopfronts, although usually this is done through consultation rather than enforcement.
While it confirmed an investigation had been launched, a council spokesperson would only add: “As there is a live case on this one, we are unable to make any comment on this at this time”.
Dr Lindsay MacDonald, chairman of the Stratford Society which campaigns to protect the heritage of the town, was among those horrified by the shop’s appearance.
He said: “We had no warning of this despoiling of the shopfront, which is appalling. It goes against all sense of taste and good design, and is shockingly detrimental to the appearance of the High Street, especially in such a sensitive location opposite Harvard House.
“The planning authority surely cannot have approved such a monstrosity. This is a Grade II* listed building, built after the town fires of 1594/5, which has a long and distinguished history in the heart of the town.
“The shop was previously occupied by Roly’s Fudge Pantry, but at least it had a tasteful sign in keeping with the guidelines. The Stratford Society will press urgently for the immediate removal of these awful graphics.”
Meanwhile the landlord of 19 and 20 High Street, John Kingsley, said the ever-changing face of retail on the high street meant that people needed to be more sympathetic to the challenges facing business owners and landlords.
He said he had interest from nail bars and barbers in moving into number 20 but went with the sweet shop. Mr Kingsley also pointed out that it is a temporary pop-up shop with a six-month lease.
“It’s very difficult to know what to do in Stratford that is unique, a shop selling sweets seems to be the only way to make money on the high street,” he said.
Mr Kingsley points out that the Anne Hathaway Tearooms has struggled to be profitable under a series of owners, even though it was fondly thought of by the town.
The two properties, numbers 19 and 20 High Street, have been in Mr Kingsley’s family since the turn of the last century. But they have both been on the market for a couple of years, with no suitable buyers found.
They are now being sold at auction by Sheldon Bosley Knight on 24th May.
However Mr Kingsley is fearful that the restrictions on the Grade II*-listed buildings may prove to be off-putting to buyers.
“These are supposed to be houses which can be lived in. I would like to sell it to somebody who can sympathetically convert it into business premises on the ground floor and residential property above it.
“But I’m very concerned that building and planning rules are so strict on the historic high street that this will lead to the properties failing to be sold.”
As for his thoughts about the appearance of the Haribo shop, he said he had not yet seen it but added: “Anything they put up should be approved of by myself. However I haven’t given them any guidelines, only that they can’t work outside of the shopfront. Inside the shop they’ve got as much right to put up what they want as I do to say ‘well, I don’t like that’.
“I think it’s unlikely I would interfere with what he’s doing.”
