§ 37. Mr. RYEasked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is the general practice of the Commissioners of Crown lands to refuse consent, as in certain recent cases, for the erection of signs indicating the position of showrooms and offices in the upper parts of premises in Regent Street?
Mr. GUINNESSThe practice of the Commissioners of Crown Lands is not to allow signs indicating the position of the showrooms and offices in the upper parts to be exhibited on the face of the stonework in Regent Street; but such signs are required to be on the return faces of the stone piers inside the entrances. This is considered to be quite adequate, while avoiding disfigurement of the architecture of the elevations.
§ Mr. RYEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is great difficulty in letting the upper parts of premises in Regent Street, and is this refusal to give consent of any assistance to the tenants in the upper parts?
Mr. GUINNESSWe give reasonable facilities for signs in the windows, but I understand my hon. Friend's question to refer to the tables of occupiers on the ground floors.
§ Mr. RYEThe point I wished to raise was that it is very difficult in some of these cases to identify the upper part of those premises, as the entrance to such upper part is behind the shop front, and the Commissioners have refused to give consent for signs to be hung to identify those entrances.
Mr. GUINNESSWe have given facilities for the upper floors which, I should have thought, dealt with the particular grievance.