A COUNCIL has been accused of forgetting to advertise its own building on a £5,000 new sign.

The Union Street arch, officially unveiled on 16 January, has an accompanying sign promoting the businesses on the street - but does not include Test Valley Borough Council’s own property, Union House.

The council insists it had not forgotten the building, arguing the businesses based in Union House are of a different nature of the ones included on the sign.

But it will now add Union House to the list after businesses complained.

The arch, which cost £5,000 to manufacture and fit, is the second in a series of creations planned for the town centre.

Although positive about the new arch, the divisional secretary of SSAFA Test Valley which is based in Union House also expressed his disappointment over the sign.

Colonel Mike Sibbons said: “The Union Street arch is impressive and the directory will certainly improve awareness of the businesses and important voluntary services that are tucked away in Union Street.

“What a shame that Union House and its charities, including SSAFA, the armed forces charity, were omitted from the list.

“Particularly, as Andover is very much a military town.

“Hopefully, this will be rectified in the future.”

Another firm based within the building, Marshall Insurance Brokers, thinks the sign does not represent the street as a whole.

Owner Anthony Marshall said: “It’s just about the shops that are there, they’re not thinking about what else is there in the street.

“I think they missed a trick there, there’s a bookkeeper, there’s charities down there.

“I don’t think it’s representative of the whole of Union Street.

“I mean it’s very good, it’s attracting people up this area - and it’s different.

“And I think different does attract people, it brings people as a lot of people don’t come up it.

“It’s going to attract people but all that money, I don’t know what it all cost, everybody in Union Street should have known about it.

“I didn’t know about it, we weren’t consulted.”

Leader of the council, Councillor Ian Carr, said: “The arches are designed to enhance the town centre and signpost people to the shops located off the High Street.

“The crucial point was about increasing footfall for businesses that need to attract passing traffic.

“As the organisations based at Union House are of a different nature to the businesses we identified for the signage, it was not initially included.

“However, we recognise the benefit of adding Union House to the list and we will amend the sign as soon as possible.

“In addition, we also plan to replace and update the sign located at the entrance to the building which lists the individual organisations that operate from Union House.

“This will further help to promote the services available in Union Street.”