Clifford’s Tower flag rules branded ‘petty’

English Heritage, which owns Clifford’s Tower, needs the go-ahead from planners to fly its insignia from the iconic building because the law classes it as advertising.

The organisation should find out next month if its flag can flutter above the historic tower, but one of the city's leading councillors has branded the rules “petty”.

English Heritage wants to hoist the flag from the left of the building’s entrance, and says care will be taken not to drill flagpole fittings into the ancient stonework.

If approved by City of Council, the work would be done outside visitor opening times, and English Heritage said that as well as flying its own flag, with a red logo on a white background, it could also display the flag of St George and the Union Jack.

In its application, the organisation said: “We were advised planning permission was not required to erect the flagpole, but advertising permission was needed to display the English Heritage flag.”

The Town and Country Planning Regulations 2007 state: “The national flag of any country, the European Union flag, the Commonwealth flag, the flag of the United Nations and English county and saints’ flags may be flown, provided nothing is added to the design of the flag or, if the flag is flown from a flagstaff, any advertising material is added.”

These are the only flags with an exemption, and an English Heritage spokeswoman said it would abide by the appropriate regulations.

But Coun Ian Gillies, leader of City of York Council’s Conservative group said: “While rules are rules, this just seems rather petty and a bit over the top.

“English Heritage, together with the National Trust and York Civic Trust, are vital to protecting the heritage of the city and their work is very important. It’s not as if their flag could be called advertising, because it’s simply to show Clifford’s Tower is owned by them and to identify it in that way.”