DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL has seized almost 60 sandwich boards from businesses since new regulations came into effect last week. 

The city council licensed the boards from 1 September, levying an annual charge of €630. To enforce these new changes, it appointed four new inspectors.

To be allowed place one of the signs on the footpath, a business must register itself with the council, something no company has yet to seek. Last week, the city council said it had received zero applications from businesses. 

Under the new regulations, if a premise is found to be using a sandwich board without a licence then the board can be removed by the council. 

DCC said 57 sandwich boards have been removed to date. Just six of those businesses have paid the €100 removal fee. 

Many businesses have hit out at the cost to place the boards outside their businesses. But while they can be an effective advertising tool they can also clutter pathways and make it difficult for those who use wheelchairs and the visually impaired. 

CEO of DublinTown, Richard Guiney, told TheJournal.ie that the group and its members are conscious of the need to improve the pedestrian experience in the city centre but that “Dublin City Council appears to have lost focus with the imposition of this new tax”.  

In addition to the base €630 charge, small family owned businesses are also obliged to complete an application form which is completely disproportionate to the request to have a removable temporary sign outside their premises. Complying with these onerous requests will, in all likelihood, require the engagement of an architect and will bring the actual cost of the license to approximately €2,000.

“There are many issues of street clutter on the streets, most of which is under the direct control of DCC. These are not being addressed. So why are Dublin City Council seeking the imposition of further excessive costs on the business community before attempting to get their own house in order,” Guiney said. 

With reporting from Hayley Halpin