TRADERS in a busy street in an historic west Suffolk market town claim a publican is being “picked on”.

Joanna Wallace, landlady of the St Edmunds Tavern in Risbygate Street in Bury St Edmunds, has been forced to apply for planning permission to site an A-board outside her pub.

But Paul Hopfensperger, chairman of the Risbygate Street Traders Association, said St Edmundsbury Borough Council was being unfair, as many businesses in the town had signs for which they did not have permission.

“Why has one trader been picked on?” he said. “The whole thing has got to be fair.

“They should look at the rest of the town.”

The application to site a placard outside the St Edmunds Tavern was due to go before the borough council’s licensing and regulatory sub committee on Wednesday.

But the hearing was postponed until July 5 as further consultation was needed.

David Nettleton, borough councillor for Risbygate ward, said he had discovered none of the 61 A-boards in the town centre had been granted permission by the borough council.

“It is chaotic at the moment,” he said. “The borough council should have a uniform policy.”

A spokeswoman for the borough council said it was developing a joint policy on A-boards with Suffolk County Council to be announced in early July.