I WOULD like to know why there is such apparent disparity in the treatment of small and large businesses in Ely. As a small trader tucked down a side street (and banned by the highways department from using a small A-board to attract business to my premis

I WOULD like to know why there is such apparent disparity in the treatment of small and large businesses in Ely. As a small trader tucked down a side street (and banned by the highways department from using a small A-board to attract business to my premises, it amazes me to see some bigger shops being allowed to extend their premises into the street by displaying their wares on the pavement from one end of their shop to the other-more like a market stall than a retail shop. Surely this is a health and safety issue as it forces people to step into the road, especially where the goods are next to a bus stop. And what about the coffee shops? Do they really have planning permission for their outside table and chairs? And what about those A-boards? One of those coffee shops has an enormous boarding on the pavement every Saturday. What I want to know from the council is how do you get to own the public footpath outside your shop? If you are going to have rules, then surely those rules should apply to everyone, big or small. All I want to see is equality - after all, it is the small business like mine that gives character to Ely shopping experience and we need all the help we can get the to survive competition from the bigger outlets.

NEWNHAM STREET TRADER