A defaced Union Flag banner in Beeston has been condemned as “disgraceful vandalism”.
The banner, located near the turn for Highfields Fire Station on Queens Road, Beeston, and a short walk from the University Boulevard tram stop, has been ruined, with black writing appearing to be painted or spray-painted on either side.
Both sides read ‘your ad here’, referencing Nottinghamshire County Council’s plans to have businesses sponsor some banners to advertise across the county.
The banners are part of a £75,000 project announced by the Reform-led Nottinghamshire County Council last October, which involved hanging 164 flags on lampposts along Nottinghamshire roads.
This is not the only known banner near Beeston to have been subject to graffiti since May.
That month, banners outside the Jaguar Service Centre on Nottingham Road, near Chilwell, were left with ‘sponsored by’ and ‘the taxpayer’ painted on either side.
Councillor Teresa Cullen (Brox Alliance), who represents Chilwell on Broxtowe Borough Council and Beeston on the County Council, said on Tuesday (16 June) that the defaced Chilwell banners had not been taken down yet and said they were all making the Beeston area look “tatty”.
She said: “When people come to visit, what do they think? We’re a country of potholes and tatty flags… the [banners] are at entry points to the area; it just looks terrible.
“I’m not in favour of vandalism or graffiti – there are other ways of dealing with it. The thing it makes me feel is that I think these banners are divisive and upset people.
“[We’re told] that Reform is making a claim that the banners are being used to promote fostering – the banners for fostering are a separate banner, a new one on a different pole.”
She said the banners should be used to show a “proud” county, where some could have Robin Hood displayed on them, or some banners in Broxtowe could feature an image related to the renowned writer D. H. Lawrence to mark Eastwood’s heritage.
Reform is hoping to bring in some money for the council by securing business-sponsored banners to advertise their services, potentially generating a return for the authority.
A Nottinghamshire County Council spokesperson said: “It’s disgusting that anyone would go out of their way to desecrate our national flag.
“We have reported the matter to the police and will review any CCTV in the area. If we are able to, we will prosecute the person behind this disgraceful vandalism.”