PEOPLE in Blackburn have voted by a majority of ten to one against Blackburn with Darwen Council's ban on A-boards and street displays.

The controversial policy has already prompted anger from local traders, who claim it affects their business, and all but one of the five court prosecutions against local businesses has collapsed.

Tonight, members of the council's regeneration committee will discuss tightening the rules even further and The Lancashire Evening Telegraph asked YOU for your views.

Callers to our Infoconnect voteline were overwhelmingly against the crackdown and one caller asked: "Would they like to see shop displays or would they like to see empty shops?"

Council officials have claimed that the street displays pose an injury risk to pedestrians.

But other callers claimed Blackpool, Lancashire's other new unitary authority, had not launched a similar crackdown, despite having hundreds of A-boards and scores of tourists.

One caller insisted: "It's time Blackburn Council got its own house in order first." Another said: "I think they should sort the market floor out before starting to do anything with traders."

And one caller added: "This is another instance of Blackburn Council persecuting the small business in the area. They should consider who pays the business rates."

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