A POPULAR restaurant and takeaway in York has been told to take their sign down after almost 13 years.

The Raj Indian in Bootham has had a visit from a City of York Council planning officer and been told to remove the sign that has been hanging outside the business since it was opened almost 13 years ago.

The council has said that the sign must be replaced with something more suitable and that Mr Ahmad must apply for permission.

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Owner, Raj Ahmad, said: "First the Old York Tearoom, then Happy Valley Chinese and now The Raj - they approached us out of the blue saying we need to take the sign and the lighting down. They said it had come to their attention that it didn't have planning permission, saying I have to take it down and then apply for permission.

"I was absolutely gobsmacked to be honest. It's been there such a long time. I don't know if they are on the warpath with small businesses, but it is absolutely absurd.

"It is a listed building, and I am going to comply, but I am currently consulting my solicitor."

The council has said that the sign must be replaced with something more suitable and that Mr Ahmad must apply for permission.

Mr Ahmad's troubles follow previous stories covered by The Press including Happy Valley Chinese Restaurant in Our Lady's Row in Goodramgate which applied for retrospective planning permission having attached signage to the front of the building, and has since had it rejected.

York Press: Happy Valley Chinese Restaurant in Our Lady's Row in Goodramgate applied for retrospective planning permission having attached signage to the front of the buildingHappy Valley Chinese Restaurant in Our Lady's Row in Goodramgate applied for retrospective planning permission having attached signage to the front of the building (Image: Haydn Lewis)

The Ghost of William Etty - a group formed back in the 1990s to help save York stone pavements from being pulled up in city streets - objected to the sign saying it was vandalism of a Grade 1 listed building.

That application followed a similar application from the neighbouring Old York Tearoom last year. On that occasion City of York Council denied their retrospective planning application and the business owners have appealed the decision.

Junyue Tan from Happy Valley said: "The sign is needed to keep the business running. We need to attract customers as often people say they can't find us.

"Our insurance bill is now £8,000 - are those objecting going to pay the bill? It was £2,000, but it has gone up after a lorry hit the outside of the building and and damaged it. The driver was trying to avoid a blue badge holder who was parked so he couldn't get past."

According to York Civic Trust Our Lady's Row is one of the oldest buildings of its type, not only in York, but in the country and it was built in 1317.