A restaurant owner has said he feels ‘backed into a corner’ after his appeal to keep a controversial new sign in place was refused.

Martin Legg installed the large blue-and-white sign at Smiths Fish and Chips in Epping last December, but he now fears its “days are numbered” after an Epping Forest District Council report upheld an earlier ruling saying it should come down.

The report by Jonathon Parsons claims the sign is “overlarge and incongruous” in its High Street location close to Tesco supermarket and recently-closed Billie Jeans nightclub.

Mr Legg now hopes simply reducing the size of the sign would reduce the “significant negative impact” and allow it to stay in place.

“If they say ‘no, you have to put it in the bin’, then I will look at other avenues such as court because I would be looking at a two- or three-grand bill,” he said.

“But I am hoping with a bit of luck we can find out what they want it to look like.

The sign at Smiths, which was opened in 1966 by Mr Legg’s grandfather, had both public support and some opposition when the council made its initial ruling in April.

Many claimed other High Street businesses, including large chains, had bigger or more garish signs.

Although Mr Parsons mentions that independent shops may need modern signs to compete with bigger ones, his report “cannot take [it] into account”.

“I just cannot help but feel that they have picked on us really,” said Mr Legg.

“Maybe they are fair reasons, maybe they are not.

“I think all the shops in the High Street should be treated the same.”

Almost a year after the sign first went up, Mr Legg now hopes a final outcome will be reached soon and thanked support from members of the public.

“The amount of people that have had an interest and been upset has been amazing, we are all overwhelmed about the response.

“It is shocking really, considering all of the things to complain about in the world.

“People took it to heart, there is no doubt about it.”

He added: “It has been the only silver lining to a very dark cloud that has been put on the place for the last year.

“The customers pay the bills and their support is what the whole business is about.

“We really appreciate it, we are trying to be positive – what else can we do?”