U-turn: Havelock North jewellery shop sign to stay

On Tuesday Bruce Jackson was told his sign didn't fit council guidelines and could injure someone so would have to be removed. Now he is happy he has been told it can stay. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hastings District Council has done a U-turn and decided a controversial sign outside a Havelock North jewellery shop can stay.

The village's Unio Goldsmith & Gallery was told earlier this week it would have to remove a 15-year-old sign, which council had deemed was unsafe to pedestrians.

On Tuesday a council staff member told the store they had received a complaint about the sign which has been attached to a pole outside since the shop since it opened.

They were told it didn't fit council guidelines and if someone walked into the sign, they could injure themselves and that a moveable, flexible plastic sign on the footpath outside the store would need to replace the current one.

Owner Bruce Jackson challenged this saying his sign was no different to the pole it was attached to, the nearby rubbish bins or the council retaining walls near the sign.

On Friday, the happy owner told Hawke's Bay Today he spoke with Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst on Thursday and was visited by a council staff member, who agreed the sign could stay.

He was happy with the change in decision and said it was "just a matter of seeing common sense".

Council spokesman Tony Manunui said when it receives complaints the council will "consider each one on its merits".

"While breaches of the rules are sometimes found, in this case we are happy to leave the sign there unless there are further issues."

He said the council will be getting in touch with the complainant.

Since going public about the request to remove the sign, the jeweller said he had had immense support online as well as people coming into the store to share their support.

There had even been people willing to stand outside in protest, he said.