THE DECISION to force Andover's cat cafe to remove its shopfront sign is not 'about a lack of support for local businesses' says Test Valley Borough Council.

As previously reported, Andover Catfe, owned by Jack and his father Stuart Waue, was granted planning permission from the borough council on July 19, 2023, to display a sign made out of wood.

However, the application did not include permission for the sign to be made of another material, resulting in an 'inspection of the signage' from the council.

READ MORE: Cat cafe forced to remove shopfront signage after application refused

After the inspection, the council concluded that the shopfront sign must be replaced or it would be removed completely. 

An application to keep the fascia sign, made of plastic, was submitted on August 19 but was refused by the borough council as the signage 'would have an adverse impact to the character and special interest of the listed building and conservation area'.

The building's ground floor is Grade II listed with a number of other properties in Winchester Street as it is part of a group of 19th-century terraced shops.

A spokesperson for Andover Catfe told the Advertiser that they are 'currently evaluating our options on how we proceed', adding that they are 'extremely grateful to those that have offered to help us replace our signage'.

They continued: "We're very grateful to all the local residents & the Test Valley Borough Council Economic Growth Officer who made the effort to write in support of our application."

Residents criticised the council's decision due to concerns it could make the cafe harder to find for potential visitors.

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A spokesperson for Test Valley Borough Council, said: “This truly isn’t about a lack of support for local businesses.

"We have provided various support to Andover Catfe, including a £1,200 independent retailer grant, and we will continue to help in any way we can. But we also have a duty to make sure that the sign on a listed building in the town centre conservation area is acceptable in planning terms.

“In April, we granted planning consent for a new wooden sign. After careful consideration, we have refused the retrospective planning application for the foam PVC sign installed in its place.

"Andover Catfe still has the option to install the wooden sign we have previously approved. We would urge the owner to get in touch if they need any further assistance, as we are happy to discuss the matter.”