Plans to rid Kingston's town centre streets of free-standing advertising boards was rubber-stamped by the council last week.

Councillor Chrissie Hitchcock who led an Alternative to A' Boards working group, addressed Kingston council's executive on January 22.

Coun Hitchcock said the working group had met with retailers to come up with alternatives, including shops on Old London Road being able to advertise on nearby railings, and made it clear this was not an "anti-business move".

She said: "I can't wait to see the end of A Boards. They are an eyesore, bad for the environment and dangerous."

While councillors praised the working group for their efforts, businesses and the public seem unconvinced.

Gengiz Arif, owner of The Terrace coffee shop in the Apple Market, said removing A Boards would be "disastrous".

"The council seem to work against the businesses here.

"We want to keep our A Boards - we've been here 23 years and get people coming in saying they've only just discovered us because we're tucked away."

Jane Taylor, 36, a full-time mother from Kingston, said: "Why are the council just targeting advertising boards - people can fall over chairs, tables or bollards and, as long as they are tasteful and maybe limited to one per shop, what is all the fuss about?"

Council officers will now conduct regular inspections and write to offending businesses who will be asked to remove their boards within four weeks or they will be disposed of by the council.