There are fears that local cafes might not "survive" as a high-street bakery chain is planning to open a new branch. Gail’s bakery plans to open in Worthing. The company submitted an application in July to place an illuminated hanging advertisement at 16 Warwick Street.
This comes after two more branches were opened earlier this year, one in Seven Dials Roundabout in Dyke Road, Brighton, and the other in High Street, Lewes . The Worthing Society, which aims to conserve the historical aesthetic within the town, raised concerns over the design of the plans and said they would not be in keeping with the aesthetic of the town. In response to the planning application for new signage for Gail’s, the society wrote: “This building is located in one of the most historic areas in Worthing and set within the South Street Conservation Area.
” “Warwick Street is one of the narrowest shopping streets in Worthing. “Whilst we can appreciate the need for a hanging sign, we consider it does not need to be illuminated. Given the scale of the building, an illuminated sign could be overly dominant and set a precedent.
Café Traditionale on Chapel Road said the Gail’s opening would affect his business negatively (Image: Google Maps) "In summary, we consider illuminated signage would not be consistent with Section 72 (1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 in that it would not enhance the conservation area." Tushar Patel, owner of Café Traditionale in .