Camden New Journal - Church told not to advertise

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Camden New Journal - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 9 August 2007

Church told: Thou shalt not advertise

A PRIEST has called for a change in planning policy after the Town Hall twice blocked attempts to put up an advertising banner at his Camden Town church.
Father Nicholas Wheeler said churches should be exempt from strict guidelines banning advertising on public buildings.
He wanted to put up an advertising banner to hide scaffolding that has been up since January while repair work is carried out at Grade II-listed St Michael’s Church in Camden Road.
The banner, which would have come down when the work was finished, could have brought in £200,000 for the church.
St Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Trafalgar Square – in neighbouring Westminster – has permission for a banner believed to raise £1 million a year towards the church’s £36 million refurbishment.
Father Nicholas said: “Their advertising hoarding is a much bigger project than ever we were planning. If it’s good enough for Trafalgar Square we don’t understand why it’s not acceptable in Camden Road.”
St Michael’s has been on English Heritage’s “At Risk” register for more than 10 years.
Conservative councillor Mike Greene, Camden’s environment chief, said: “While we may have great sympathy with churches we still have a duty from a planning point of view to treat everyone as equal.”
Last year Father Malcolm Hunter spent 10 days on St Michael’s roof in a vigil to raise money for repairs. An estimated £4 million is needed to restore the 1881 church’s interior.

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