THE owner of a long-established Bewdley farm shop has been ordered to remove his outdoor display of fruit and veg, leaving him fearful for the future of his popular business.

Tony Thompson has relied on his colourful display of local produce to attract customers into his Bewdley Farm Shop for 22 years but he has been told by Worcestershire County Council that it has to be removed due to road safety concerns.

The shop has been in the town for 30 years and Mr Thompson said he feared his business - the only fruit and veg shop in the town - would have to close with the loss of six jobs, as 30 to 40 per cent of his trade was from passing customers.

“We rely, like many other shops in the town, on enticing people in to spend money, “ he said. “In today’s current climate everything we do we have to do to get people in to spend money.

“If we were forced to move the display from the shop then it would certainly harper our turnover, which in turn results in loss of jobs or closure.

“Thirty to 40 per cent of our takings are received from the front of the shop. We display all our local produce from local farmers and that’s what we rely on.

“It’s attractive. Everyone says that the first thing they see is our shop.”

The 40-year-old has set up a petition to keep the outdoor display and it already has 1,200 signatures.

”We have a fantastic clientele and the support from them is immense,” said Mr Thompson,“It would be a great shame if we had to take it in because it does look good.

“It looks colourful, it’s well presented and it’s a credit to our shop and to the town.

“We cannot lose this shop or the look of the shop because it’s got character and it compliments the look of the town.”

Independent Community and Health Concern town councillor Derek Killingworth, who has signed the petition, said: “There is an absolute need for this shop in the town.”

David Hunter, the county council's senior highways liaison engineer, said: "The county council has been made aware of a number of road safety concerns relating to the obstruction of the footway at this location.

“We are currently reviewing the options available to resolve the situation."