Take down your flag or we'll prosecute, woman told
Discussion
You could not make this up. From the Peterborough ET AGAIN
www.peterboroughet.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=845&ArticleID=1013963
PATRIOTIC Tina Griffin has been ordered to wave goodbye to one of her St George's flags – or face prosecution.
Red tape means Tina will have to cough up £220 to Peterborough City Council for special consent to fly the crisp white flags with their dazzling red crosses, or go to court.
Today Tina, who proudly keeps her flags washed before they flutter on their 5ft metal flagpoles by the bedroom window, said: ''It's ridiculous that you can't fly the flag of your own country.''
Tina (35), her husband Nigel (37) and children Jamie (12), Mark (10) and Sophie (4) are all football fans and decided to fly the flags for the European Championships, in June, last year.
They have become a fixture at the house in Edinburgh Avenue, Werrington, Peterborough, ever since.
Then came a letter from the city council warning that flying the flags was in breach of planning laws.
Now, like the Patron Saint facing the dragon, Tina finds herself the underdog in a battle with the local authority.
The Griffins were warned that the flags were classed as "unauthorised advertising" and the family was "liable to enforcement action" if they did not pay for permission.
She said: "It just beggars belief. How can they tell me what to do with my own house? "I am an English patriot but it is not a racist thing. We put the flags up for our two boys who both love football and wanted to show their support for England. We are all proud to be English."
A spokesman for the council confirmed today that flying two national flags is against regulations and it could prosecute.
Today, her neighbours were divided on the subject.
Paul Lewkowicz (48) said: "If they are acting against any rules they should abide by them and take the flags down."
Fellow resident Helen Wood said: "The council should leave Tina alone. It is private property and I am all for the display of the flags."
However, John Clemence of the Royal Society of St George said: "The whole thing is quite ludicrous.''
29 April 2005
www.peterboroughet.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=845&ArticleID=1013963
PATRIOTIC Tina Griffin has been ordered to wave goodbye to one of her St George's flags – or face prosecution.
Red tape means Tina will have to cough up £220 to Peterborough City Council for special consent to fly the crisp white flags with their dazzling red crosses, or go to court.
Today Tina, who proudly keeps her flags washed before they flutter on their 5ft metal flagpoles by the bedroom window, said: ''It's ridiculous that you can't fly the flag of your own country.''
Tina (35), her husband Nigel (37) and children Jamie (12), Mark (10) and Sophie (4) are all football fans and decided to fly the flags for the European Championships, in June, last year.
They have become a fixture at the house in Edinburgh Avenue, Werrington, Peterborough, ever since.
Then came a letter from the city council warning that flying the flags was in breach of planning laws.
Now, like the Patron Saint facing the dragon, Tina finds herself the underdog in a battle with the local authority.
The Griffins were warned that the flags were classed as "unauthorised advertising" and the family was "liable to enforcement action" if they did not pay for permission.
She said: "It just beggars belief. How can they tell me what to do with my own house? "I am an English patriot but it is not a racist thing. We put the flags up for our two boys who both love football and wanted to show their support for England. We are all proud to be English."
A spokesman for the council confirmed today that flying two national flags is against regulations and it could prosecute.
Today, her neighbours were divided on the subject.
Paul Lewkowicz (48) said: "If they are acting against any rules they should abide by them and take the flags down."
Fellow resident Helen Wood said: "The council should leave Tina alone. It is private property and I am all for the display of the flags."
However, John Clemence of the Royal Society of St George said: "The whole thing is quite ludicrous.''
29 April 2005
off to red tape".
Before we all start foaming at the mouth here, the local regulations are that they can fly one national flag without seeking permission, and for 2 or more they must apply for permission.
They are flying two and the council is telling them to either take one down or apply for permission to fly two.
That's all there is to it. It is a complete non-story.
They are flying two and the council is telling them to either take one down or apply for permission to fly two.
That's all there is to it. It is a complete non-story.
So if I painted my house white, and then decided to then add a large red cross on the front, would I be prosecuted, or would that only happen if put a flag up.
I think I'd be firmly in the camp of telling whoever to jog on, take me to court, I'll never ever take them down, and get the whole UK national press involved. Just for the hell of it.
I think I'd be firmly in the camp of telling whoever to jog on, take me to court, I'll never ever take them down, and get the whole UK national press involved. Just for the hell of it.
Twincam16 said:
Yet they don't tell students to take down the 'Smash the evil warmongering capitalists' flags do they?
Utter madness. What on earth happened to national pride?
Being flogged Chavtat St. Georges flags because you like Beckham isn't the same as national pride
National pride is when you actually take part in your community for its benefit, not yours - for instance voting. Of course, that doesn't happen either.Look, FFS, there is a world of difference between a patriotic household flying the Union Flag on a flagpole in their garden and a football supporter's house festooned with the flags of their team (in this case Engerrrland).
The former is patriotic, the latter is just tacky.
Edit: Wot Tuna said.
>> Edited by JonRB on Friday 29th April 13:13
The former is patriotic, the latter is just tacky.
Edit: Wot Tuna said.
>> Edited by JonRB on Friday 29th April 13:13
BliarOut said:
I'm in peterborough..... Anyone got two foreign flags they fancy lending me... The more ethnic the better 
I'll quite happily see if the rules are evenly applied
And then someone has to report me for it of course
I was wondering if the local Sikh temple had planning permission...OK. It may aswell be me.
Flags on houses suck. It doesn't matter whose flag it is - Welsh, Scots, Irish, Hammer & Sickle. They all suck.
I'm a flag enthusiast, but they should be flown from an appropriate setting, ideally a flapole in an open space. To, um, erect a flagpole quite rightly requires planning permission because of its visual impact on the environment.
I just returned from a week in the UK, and frankly, the sight of some tatty, dirty rag hanging from someone's bedroom window wasn't too pretty.
An exception could be made for St. George's Day, the occasional football match etc, but not long-term.
Flags on houses suck. It doesn't matter whose flag it is - Welsh, Scots, Irish, Hammer & Sickle. They all suck.
I'm a flag enthusiast, but they should be flown from an appropriate setting, ideally a flapole in an open space. To, um, erect a flagpole quite rightly requires planning permission because of its visual impact on the environment.
I just returned from a week in the UK, and frankly, the sight of some tatty, dirty rag hanging from someone's bedroom window wasn't too pretty.
An exception could be made for St. George's Day, the occasional football match etc, but not long-term.
BliarOut said:
I'm in peterborough..... Anyone got two foreign flags they fancy lending me... The more ethnic the better
I'll quite happily see if the rules are evenly applied
And then someone has to report me for it of course
How about two Colombian flags!?
but seriously....a tempting experiment....I do have two massive flags as my mother is Colombian.
And another thing......
How many effing flags do you need on your car to be patriotic ?
1 flag = considerably more English than yow.
2 flags= tally ho! chaps, lets invade India (again)
3 flags= Only two flags ? call yourself English you w4nker?
4 flags= Ok, I didn't see anymore than 3 flags.
How many effing flags do you need on your car to be patriotic ?
1 flag = considerably more English than yow.
2 flags= tally ho! chaps, lets invade India (again)
3 flags= Only two flags ? call yourself English you w4nker?
4 flags= Ok, I didn't see anymore than 3 flags.
This really makes me annoyed. I has a photo sent to me from a friend in America wishing me a "Happy St. Georges day" & the display was of her St.George's cross being proudly flow. (she's an ex-pat) Yet over here in the UK we get a rollocking for flying our own Countries flag & getting accused of being racist.
There is a tradition in the USA & Canada that if they have friends comming to stay from another country, they fly the flag of that country to welcome them. Can't see that happening in the UK. you might get arrested by the PC Police
Our culture is being dumbed down by the powers-that-be.
You go to any other country & you can see what their traditional dress is & their traditional food. But here in the UK!!! Our traditional dress seems to be Puffa jackets & baseball hats while our traditional food is Fish & chips or a kebab.
Now that's culture for you
There is a tradition in the USA & Canada that if they have friends comming to stay from another country, they fly the flag of that country to welcome them. Can't see that happening in the UK. you might get arrested by the PC Police
Our culture is being dumbed down by the powers-that-be.
You go to any other country & you can see what their traditional dress is & their traditional food. But here in the UK!!! Our traditional dress seems to be Puffa jackets & baseball hats while our traditional food is Fish & chips or a kebab.
Now that's culture for you
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