A restaurant could be forced to remove its new modern sign after the town council decided it was too large and at odds with the “market village” appearance of Epping.

At a planning committee meeting last night, councillors objected to the new blue-and-white sign at Smiths Fish and Chips in High Street, saying it was out of character with other shops and could set a precedent for other nearby businesses in the conservation area.

Owner of the restaurant Martin Legg claims the sign has received positive feedback from customers since being installed before Christmas.

The sign, which advertises the restaurant with large white letters, replaced one that had been in place since 1966 when Mr Legg’s grandfather opened the restaurant.

Mr Legg applied for retrospective planning permission after a council official informed him of a complaint about its size days after it was installed.

He said: “Everyone is entitled to their opinions but ever since I put it up I have had a lot more business and no-one who has come in has said anything remotely negative about it.

“It was a big change when we changed the sign, it took me some time to get used to it as well.

“We all like it now, and I have had no-one come in and say anything other than we like your new sign.”

Epping town clerk Alan Shaw said the council was more interested in the appearance of the High Street than businesses being able to advertise.

He said: “The general position has been that they do not want to see a proliferation of advertising on the High Street.

“They want to retain a market village feel.

“It is balancing desire to advertise premises with the look and feel of the High Street, which I think the town council is more interested in.”

Mr Legg’s application will be considered by Epping Forest District Council in April.