A restaurant owner has slammed a telecoms company for installing a ’50ft eyesore’ mast – just 20cm away from his business.
Johnny Gupta, 53, went to the Lime Tree in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, to find engineers installing the pole in front of his property.
The restaurateur says he was given no warning about the broadband pole, which belongs to telecommunications company IX Wireless.
After contacting the business and the council, Johnny says he was told nothing could be done and the mast could not be moved or taken down.
He’s now been left ‘fuming’ as the 50ft (15.24m) pole is just 20cm away from the Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant.
Johnny said: “It happened on Thursday morning, one of my friends was driving past and told me. I checked my CCTV on my phone and I saw the workers outside erecting the pole.
“I drove to the restaurant and when I got there, I saw red. I saw this big 50ft pole in front of my restaurant, it was an eyesore. I was fuming.”
Johnny asked the engineers to take the mast down when he arrived at his business on March 14, but he was told they didn’t need permission for the development.
He said: “I told them they had to chop it down and they said ‘no’.’ I was very, very, very angry.”
Johnny says he is now concerned about how the mast will affect business at the restaurant, which has been trading for 16 years.
He says he has already seen dogs urinating against the pole, which he worries will attract pests such as rats.
Johnny said: “I can’t take a picture outside the restaurant anymore, I can’t do painting or scaffolding. It’s 20cm away, I can’t do anything. I emailed IX Wireless and they said there was nothing they could do.”
Due to current Government planning guidelines, companies do not need permission from councils to erect the masts.
They are also not subject to the typical application or consultation process for building work.
Johnny said: “What really upsets me is that we are losing democracy, my human rights to protect my bricks and mortar, they have taken away that right. If they can do that then what else can they do?
“Normally you have to get planning permission, if my friend didn’t ring me that morning I would have gone to the restaurant and had a heart attack.
“I’ve worked all my life to make the restaurant look presentable. We are in England in 2024, surely there has to be some respect.”
IX Wireless have been contacted for a comment.
