Crazy golf course owner in council dispute

An irate owner of a crazy golf course in Cleethorpes is enraged with his local council for making him seek planning permission for playful postcard artwork.

Oddballs Crazy has had to apply for planning permission to keep three timber frames which house traditional British seaside postcard artwork.

This is now the second time owner Terry Procter has been forced to apply for permission, after a dispute three years ago.

He said: "It was an issue brought about a few years ago by politicians who got in a bit of a dispute and I got caught in the middle of it."

He was eventually granted temporary planning permission for three years, but has since been told he has to reapply now that it has ended.

"It's just ridiculous and petty, the costs are just extortionate," he added.

"I had to pay £300 the first time and this time it's cost me another £200.

"I'm not sure how long the planning permission will last for though, that's up to planning officers."

The giant postcards were removed following complaints from some traders that they were sexist and offensive. The four paintings by local artist Carl Landymore depict various seaside scenes, including a man looking out towards two bikini-clad women sunbathing on the beach, while his wife says: "Looking at the lovely birds."

They were put up by the Cleethorpes In Bloom committee, along with another painting, produced by the council to promote recycling, and which shows a couple with their recycling boxes remarking that: "The council says we should do it twice a fortnight."

Cleethorpes In Bloom chairman Bob Callison was furious when the council removed the postcards, stating that permission for them to be erected on council-owned property had not been sought.

But the ongoing drama reached a happier conclusion when they were bought by Mr. Procter.

Mr. Procter said the postcards add to the "historical nature" of the resort, and has received no complaints from any of his visitors.

"We are all working as hard as we can to make Cleethorpes look as nice as we can to attract more visitors, but I just feel we get no support whatsoever."

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