York Chinese restaurant sign taken down after planning row

The sign above the door of Happy Valley has now been taken down

A sign over a Chinese restaurant in one of York's oldest buildings has been taken down after a planning row.

The owners of Happy Valley restaurant, in Goodramgate, were told to remove a large green sign above the door on the Grade I listed building on Lady Row.

City of York Council rejected a planning application for the sign and local groups said it was "too obstructive".

Owner Jumyue Tan said he "didn't want any more trouble" over the sign.

Mr Tan added he "didn't know why the council chose to make this decision" as he put the sign up to attract more customers to the restaurant.

"We are worried about losing customers over this as they may not realise we are here without the sign," he told the BBC.

He said he received a letter from the council saying he needed planning permission as the sign had been put up without authorisation a year earlier.

But the council refused the application saying the signboard was "harmful and detracts from the building's significance".

An objection from local group the Guildhall Planning Panel also said the sign was "too obtrusive".

The large green sign was previously displayed above the entrance

The restaurant has been in the 700-year-old Lady Row for 22 years.

Other businesses that share the building including The Old York Tea Room and Norsemen York, are going through similar problems with their own door signs.

The Old York Tea Room is going through an appeal process after its retrospective planning permission for its painted sign and teapot image were rejected by the council.

Hussain Ahmed, owner of Norsemen York, a souvenir shop, is growing concerned about his business being ordered to take down its sign.

Norsemen York is part of the same building and still has a sign above its door

He said businesses in the building should have the right to advertise outside their shops so customers can notice them easily.

"I respect the view from the council but if they are really concerned about the building, my first thought is you shouldn't rent it out to people as we have to pay the bills and everything and so need some kind of advertisement to attract customers to come in," Mr Ahmed said.

Meanwhile, Khaled Almahdi, who works at Syrian restaurant Bab Tooma just opposite Lady Row in Goodramgate, does not think the missing sign will affect the business as people will still notice the Chinese restaurant.

"I don't think it is the right choice to remove the sign, but York tends to be so busy with tourists that customers won't miss the names on the outside as they'll just see it."

City of York Council has been approached for a comment.