Fifty residents of the small Central Otago town of Millers Flat have made a submission to the New Zealand Transport Authority after the organisation rejected the proposal to erect advertising for a café in the township.
Faigan’s Café had planned to put up two advertisements on State Highway 8, which sits across the Clutha River from Millers Flat, to bring motorists into the township. Both owners of the private property had given consent for the advertising to be on their property.
However, the hoardings don’t fit within the Operative Central Otago District Plan.
"Millers Flat is off the main highway, so people don't know there is a township,” said Faigan’s Café co-owner Juanita Garden. "We need an indication that there is a township across the road."
The proposed signage had a safety-themed message, a drawing of the store, the store's name, the village's name as well as directions and distance. The NZTA originally made a submission suggesting that the town name and store image be removed but has since changed its tune, instead requesting that the safety message be removed in order to focus on the town, the café and directions.
