Angry residents have hit out at the “gawdy” bright yellow frontage of a new Nantwich vape shop.
Friendly Mart, opposite The Crown Hotel on High Street, has been slated for its paint job – a ‘top to toe’ neon yellow which can’t be missed.
One objector posted on Facebook: “So upset and annoyed to see the neon yellow frontage of the new shop opposite The Crown, should never have been allowed. Who on earth is approving these frontages in an historic town?”
Another said: “It’s visually aggressive. Every time I walk past it feels like the building is shouting at me.
“Totally out of keeping with the historic setting, especially opposite a black and white building.”
Nantwich resident Neil Jolley added: “It’s gawdy and horrible. You don’t come to Nantwich for garish colours.
“You come for timber beams, brickwork and heritage — this shop ignores all of that.
“It’s inconsiderate, a proper slap in the face for business neighbours and anyone who takes pride in their town centre, as I do.”
Now Nantwich Civic Society, which promotes the conservation of historic structures, says it will take up the matter with Cheshire East Council planning enforcement.
Civic Society chairman Jeff Stubbs said: “People have raised the issue with us, emailing via our website, calling members and stopping me in the street.
“In our view, the shop frontage jars with the historic setting, in particular its location opposite the jewel in the crown that is The Crown hotel.
“I called in personally and the young man was astonished that people should take exception to the colour!
“We will seek guidance on whether the colour scheme should be controlled by conservation area consent, reporting the issue to planning enforcement.”
The shop, which took over premises previously occupied by Choose Your Future training, sells vapes, sweets, crisps and cans of pop.
On Companies House, it states the director of the business is Dana Hajy, a 22-year-old Iranian with an address in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Nantwich News visited the shop for comment.
The owner said: “I’ve seen the comments (on Facebook) and a man did come about the colour but truth is I like it and people have been saying they like it too.
“I thought about a 3D sign but decided against because of other businesses around me and want to reassure people that this is a shop.
“I employ one person, pay my business rates and utilities like everyone else, and if there is any doubt I’m happy for people to check me out.
“I’ve been open about four weeks and things are going well. Business is picking up and I’m getting regulars in.”
Whats wrong with charity shops? they do great work raising money for charities, some local like st lukes and hope house and fill up otherwise empty shops, they always seem to have customers in nantwich, vaping should be banned in public + selling to kids
Every time i walk past its door is wide open and no customers, i wonder what it is selling? It is also in a conservation area i doubt it applied for consent for that signage and colour, it is completly out of placr
It’s a crass eyesore I’d never set foot in and it’s a shame to see it. But the demographic of the town is changing with all of the construction that’s taken place. There are now more people living in and around the town who do use these places. Unfortunately we’re all guilty of killing off the high street by not supporting local businesses. Look at any northern town and you will see the same pattern, traditional businesses folding and these sort of things moving in to take their place.
Nantwich snobbery at it’s best………..you’d moan if it was left empty.
People just can’t win in this town.
Admittedly the colour is not really in keeping, but the lad is selling goods which are legal and getting a growing customer base.
Nantwhich like every high street is struggling so for me tone down the colour abit and its better than another empty shop.
Another laundering “vape” shop.
What a mess
Typical Nantwich Nimbys who probably don’t even use the local shops like the kids use the Vape shops. Better than a charity shop, let’s hop it sets a trend and brings Nantwich to the 20th century.
Chris McG – Vape shops are exempt from grant funding in Crewe. The grant funding has been used for actual retailers and businesses such as Crewe Optical, PLATFORM art centre, Milk & Honey Cafe, Cheer & Chug Lounge, Mighty Quests Escape Room etc. – businesses which are making Crewe a better town to venture into:
https://openincrewe.co.uk/eligibility/
What a snobbish comment to make.
Apart from the colour which must have come from del boy, he had a load of yellow paint at one time to sell. the contents of the store are rubbish, cheap sweets, cans of fizz vapes fags, I will give it a year, far too low end to survive
The old NatWest bank is much more of an eyesore within the historic area. Who approved that?
At least the frontage to the vape shop won’t be there forever.
As the shop owner is quoted as saying – he is getting regular customers. I can pretty much guarantee no one is travelling into the middle of Nantwich from elsewhere to go to this shop and buy a vape, so the regular customers are from Nantwich. The shop would soon go out of business if people didn’t go there – it is local people who keep these businesses afloat. So all the people getting annoyed that “historic Nantwich” is being destroyed do not have that view shared by their fellow locals….
If CE don’t sort it, another ‘enterprising’ owner will try & ‘better’ the colour of this ‘welcome’ addition to the town….
It belongs in the town the shop owner lives in which is in Staffordshire we don’t need shops that violate the towns traditional shop fronts
Says are angry local who to will be getting his cheap fags fron there .. dont make me laugh .
Yet it goes unchallenged in crewe and Cheshire east even give out grants
This ‘type’ of shop belongs in Crewe. Enough said!