A CARDIGAN business leader says town traders have far bigger concerns than ensuring whether their shops carry bilingual signs or not.

Martin Radley, chairman of Cardigan Traders, was responding to the town council’s pledge to do their utmost to encourage shopkeepers to carry signs in English and Welsh.

The move came after Cllr John Adams-Lewis urged colleagues to “dig in” on the issue in the wake of the continuing Marks and Spencer sign furore in Aberystwyth.

But Mr Radley, owner of Queens Bakeries, suggested councillors had their priorities all wrong.

“Business owners these days are under quite a lot of pressure with business rates, a lack of footfall and parking charges without having to consider bilingual signs as well,” he told the Cambrian News.

“We speak Welsh here at Queens and of course bilingual signs are important – I just don’t feel they are the most important issue we are facing right now.

“To be honest, I think actually getting businesses into town deserves greater priority than worrying whether they have bilingual signs or not.

“Let’s face it, times are tough – you can come into Cardigan on a Wednesday afternoon and only see one man and his dog.

“I really think the town council has got its priorities wrong because there are far more important things to worry about at present.”

Cllr John Adams-Lewis and fellow councillors want to encourage new businesses – as well as existing ones – to bear signs in both English and Welsh.

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