Traders have hit out after being threatened with hefty fines if they refuse to remove advertising signs.

Cherwell District Council has fired off letters and photographs to shops across Bicester, Banbury and Kidlington warning them to remove advertising A-board signs or face fines of up to £2,500 and a further £250 for every day they are not removed.

Businesses are fuming and say the council should be supporting high street traders in the current financial climate, rather than hindering them.

Bicester Chamber of Commerce has also waded into the row and called for consultation over the issue.

The move led the council to putting on hold the changes in Bicester while a meeting is arranged with traders.

Rob Douglas, who owns Fluffy Paws Pet Supplies, in Bucknell Road, said his sign was on a small section of the path and was actually covering a bolt that stuck out of the footpath.

He said: “The sign has been outside the shop for the past 10 to 15 years.

“Now they have turned around and said you’ll be fined if you advertise your business on the road.

“You would have thought the council should be supporting small businesses instead of trying to kill them.”

Antonio Abreu, of town centre cafe Bean Around the World, said: “I’m disgusted by this action because in the situation at the moment they are supposed to be supporting our high streets and small businesses and they are not.

“They are making it really complicated. If they give us the option to pay to have the right to advertise I would pay, but I have not been given that option.”

Chairman of Bicester and District Chamber of Commerce Ben Jackson said: “The Chamber has raised this issue with both officers and elected representatives of the council and is waiting to hear back.

“We have asked for the threat of action to be deferred until a proper, constructive, two way dialogue has been entered into.

“It is essential traders in the town are allowed to legally maximise the opportunity to maximise footfall to their premises while the development work is under way.”

Michael Gibbard, Cherwell’s lead member for planning, said: “Cherwell has carried out some district-wide enforcement for reasons of public safety, to improve access and to prevent the streets becoming cluttered.

“We will discuss how we can ensure that this work fits in with our aspiration to support traders in the town during redevelopment, as well as the specific regulations around unauthorised advertisements.”

The letters are being sent out as part of advertisement control legislation, under the Town and County Planning Act 2007.

About 20 letters have already been sent out across the district – 17 to businesses in Bicester.

Any fines would be imposed through the courts and legal action instigated by the council.