Hello. We have recently received a number of complaints about shops opening in our area that have decided to cover their shop windows in vinyl film. Often the entire shop window is blanked out with these advertisements, usually advertising alcohol or food stuffs, and it's beginning to have an adverse affect on the area. Sometimes the vinyl is attached to the outside of the window and sometimes the inside. I've been through the advert regs and I'm still not certain whether they need consent. Class 5 appears to allow theseadverts, providing each advert doesn't exceed 1.55 square metres etc. However, there is also the line 'in the case of a shop, no advertisement may be displayed except on a wall containing a shop window' - is it possible to argue that if the advert is on the window itself then it will not benefit from deemed consent? There is also Class 12 to bear in mind - advertisements inside buildings - which states that an advertisement displayed inside a building, other than an advertisement falling within Class I in Schedule 1 doesn't require express consent. Class I states that no part of the advertisement may be within 1 metre of any external door, window or other opening through which it is visible from outside the building. Does that then mean that all window coverings with adverts on them require express consent? Has anyone had any experience of dealing with similar issues? Does anyone know of any relevant case law in this area? Lastly, do you think covering a window with a solid coloured vinyl without advertisements requires any form of permission? Any help will be much appreciated.
