A couple who put up balloons outside their shop to attract customers have been told to remove them by Solihull Council because they pose a health and safety risk. Diane and Derek Betts were amazed when the council listed a series of bizarre scenarios to try and back up its argument.
The council warned that if one somehow got loose it could float into a road and attract a child into the traffic. It said another problem was that the balloons could attract drivers' attention and raise the risk of an accident.
Mr Betts, 45, who runs Bespoke Home & Flooring in Solihull, West Mids, said the council should stop being so pathetic. He said: "I never in a million years thought that putting some balloons up could lead to the council threatening me.
"I just couldn't believe it when we got a visit from a couple of jobsworths from the council. Everyone I've talked to about this thinks the situation is just ridiculous. It’s officialdom gone mad. It's people throwing their weight around completely unnecessarily.
"I want to deal with this matter in a civilised way, but to threaten legal action over something as silly as balloons is just crazy. My wife has written to Parliament about this, and we have also contacted the Chambers of Commerce." Mrs Betts said: “Do we ban birthday parties in case a balloon escapes from a garden?"
Ted Richards, from Solihull council, said: “There is a chance these balloons could distract drivers, which could then lead to an accident and that is a risk we are not prepared to take. We have responsibility for ensuring people can use our footpaths safely, something we cannot and do not take lightly. If this continued we would have no other option than to take appropriate action."
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