Chepstow hotel's Christmas bow prompts English flag row

A Monmouthshire hotel owner must remove a red ribbon bow painted on the white-washed frontage amid complaints it looks like the English flag.

Chepstow's Castle View Hotel's Michael Currey said he has had "stick about it" but insists it was meant to look like a Christmas ribbon.

It "didn't go down well with everyone", he said.

Monmouthshire council said it wanted the paint restored to its original colour as it is in a conservation area.

Mr Currey said: "I can see it looked like the England flag from a distance which didn't go down well with everyone. We are in Wales after all.

"The truth is that when we painted the red stripe on we had trouble fixing the bow.

"But now we've managed to fix the bow - and it looks very festive in time for Christmas."

Chepstow councillor Armand Watts, who runs a nearby hairdressers shop, said: "It's unusual, and even with the bow it still looks like the England flag."

A Monmouthshire County Council spokesman said: "The Castle View Hotel is a listed building within Chepstow's conservation area. Having investigated and spoken with the proprietor we will issue an enforcement notice this week on Mr Currey which takes effect on 31 December.

"This will require him to remove the bow and repaint the exterior to its original colour by 8 January."