I had to check that it wasn't April 1st having read last weeks story in the Selby Times regarding the "clampdown" by North Yorkshire County Council on Selby traders who dare to try and promote their business via the use of an A Board outside their premises.

It is exactly this sort of "jobsworth nonsense" that not only angers right minded residents but indicates that the officers reponsible for pursuing this action, have no idea of the real world and in particular, have no idea of what it is like to run a business in difficult economic times.

North Yorkshire County Council seem quite happy to litter Selby District's roads and streets with hundreds of pointless and unsightly road signs every few yards but is happy to intimidate retailers who want to go about their business.

We are in the middle of the deepest recession that any of us can remember with businesses and shops closing by the day and some bright spark in Northallerton thinks it is a good idea to issue enforcement action notices that may lead to fines and even more difficulty for hard pressed Selby traders.

Whichever "trade prevention officer" is responsible for issuing these notices should get out of their office and visit Selby, apologise to the traders involved and encourage them to carry on promoting their business in difficult times. If he or she cannot do this, then perhaps they should be given a weeks work experience in the "real world" and see what it is like to struggle to run a small business during a recession. Maybe then, they may see how ridiculous and insensitive their decision has been.