AS REPORTED in the Beacon on 10th February, Monmouth restaurant Jewel Balti was ordered by Monmouthshire County Council to remove two large neon signs fixed to the outside of the premises.

The signs, which adorned two walls of the Grade II listed building occupied by the restaurant, measured some five feet by six feet, and glowed vivid red after dark. They were not favourably viewed by residents – or officials from the council.

On Thursday 25th February, Jewel Balti was fined £1,000 for not complying with the enforcement notice – the maximum fine for this kind of offence.

However, the owners received a discount of a third, because it was their first offence. They had to pay £660 plus £100 costs.