18/03038/ADV

82 St Clement's Street Oxford OX4 1AW

12 December 2018

 Display of 2no. externally illuminated fascia signs, 2no. externally illuminated hanging sings, 7no. non-illuminated hoarding signs and 1no. internally illuminated brass lantern sign. 

This application relates to the Port Mahon public house which is Grade 2 listed and occupies a prominent corner site in the St Clements conservation area. It forms an important element in views along the road.

Malcolm Graham says this in “On Foot in Oxford, 3, St Clements”:

“The Port Mahon is a 3-storeyed rubble stone building of the early 18th century with steps leading up to the front door. Quite different but attractive none-the-less are the additions beside and behind the building (1900, JR Wilkins). First mentioned in 1720, the pub was patriotically named after a strategic seaport in Minorca which the British captured in 1708 and held for most of the 18th century”.

While some of the proposed signs are intended to replace existing signage, and the designs seem acceptable, it is hard to understand why a total of 12 is required with 5 of them illuminated. It seems that no pre-application discussion has taken place with officers. Oxford Civic Society would recommend that the number of signs be reduced and that the applicant is asked about the need for so many to have lights.