BUSINESS owners in Andover have staged a defiant protest today over the continuing A-board saga.

As reported on the front page of last week’s Advertiser, businesses in the town are furious at Hampshire County Council's decision to send letters threatening to remove their on-street advertising if they did not do so themselves.

However owners are refusing to give into the Council's demands and more than 15 buisnesses came together in the High Street, alongside their A-boards, to make a spirited stand against the authority's "zero-tolerance" policy.

The group were also joined by UKIP North West Hampshire Parliamentary candidate Diane James and County Councillor Tony Hooke, who had mocked up their own A-board asking for a meeting with Test Valley Borough Council to discuss the issue.

Nigel Terry from Mailboxes Etc was one of those at the protest and he said: "Whatever they decide to do as regards to directing people to the businesses, it is better than nothing, but it won’t replace the A-boards."

Asked where he thinks A-boards should be placed, he added: "I don’t think the A-boards should be too far away from the business, they should be outside."

For the full report see next Friday's (16 January) paper.