Shrewsbury roundabout advert fee leaps by 'laughable' 650%

John Streeter says he faces a huge spike in fees to continue to advertise his business on a roundabout

A business owner said he was shocked to receive a bill that jumped by 650% to advertise his service on a roundabout.

John Streeter, who runs garage First Car in Harlescott, has been sponsoring the Shrewsbury roundabout for 10 years.

He said he took out a long-term contract of £800 per year with the town council but after the county council took over he was asked to pay £6,000.

Shropshire Council, which now looks after the advertising, said it was important to be more commercial.

Mr Streeter said he anticipated a price hike after being told the advertising rights had been handed over to a private firm earlier this year but thought the price might double at worst.

"I don't know what I thought, it was that shocking," he said of getting the new bill. "I just laughed."

First Car has sponsored the roundabout for about 10 years

He said he was offered better rates for a longer contract, however a three-year sponsorship deal would still cost more than £4,000 a year.

"That's a massive amount," he said. "It's laughable. Where do they expect that to come from? It's not the kind of hike we can pass on to our customers."

He added he hoped there would be a rethink on the cost, otherwise "we'll have to give it up".

Mr Streeter said that after a decade "it's more than just an advert, it's our roundabout - friends of mine call it the First Car roundabout".

Shropshire Council cabinet member for highways and regulatory services Richard Marshall said the advertising on Shrewsbury roundabouts was now run by the county council.

He stated the town council's contract had finished anyway, his authority decided to enlist the services of a professional media company and he thought it was important for his council "to start being a little bit more commercial".

Mr Marshall added it was hoping this would raise "in the region of just shy of £400,000 to go back to be spent into the county itself".

Asked if he was worried the council was going to price out local businesses, the Conservative councillor said: "Not at all... We look at what neighbouring authorities are charging."