A sandwich shop said it can continue displaying the Union Jack and St George's flag on its windows following a dispute with its local council.
Cookies' Corner in New Milton, Hampshire, said they had been told by New Forest District Council that the artwork stuck on their windows did not have planning permission.
Their argument was triggered by an anonymous complaint to the council, with officials saying the shop can either remove the flags or apply for planning permission to keep them.
The initial artwork featured the Union Jack with a picture of a lion, which was replaced with just a Union flag out of goodwill, but this still breached the rules.
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The council said it investigated following a complaint from a member of the public, finding that one of the adverts showed two figures and a slogan, which was "unauthorised under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007".
It said: "In accordance with our local enforcement plan, the proprietor was requested to remove the unauthorised advertisements, or to seek advertisement consent retrospectively for their continued display.
"Since the council contacted the proprietor, the poster featuring two figures and a slogan has been removed and replaced by a union flag."
The council said it was "content" that there is no longer a breach.
The shop's owner pointed out that the two images below the flags had been in place for four years without any issue
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Owner of the shop Nina Stevenson defied the council, saying: "The council called me and said I needed planning permission for any picture on the side of my building.
"I told them I have had the picture of a shark eating a baguette for four years, and they have never had an issue with that.
"[The official] said that hadn't been brought to their attention before and that any pictures on the side of the wall had to have planning permission.
"She said a complaint had been made."
Ms Stevenson explained that the same picture of the lion and Union Jack is on the shop's sandwich van, which drives around industrial estates.
She continued: "One woman recently told our driver that it was a racial slur. I bet it is the same person who has complained now.
"It is utterly ridiculous. I am proud to be British. This is our country's flag; it should be celebrated, not censored.
"I am not giving in, and I won't take them down or remove them. They will have to take me to court. I know I am in the right.
The shop previously had a shark with a baguette up for years, with no issue from the council
|"We have been here for 24 years. I can't believe we have reached this point."
Prior to the council's decision to allow the flags to stay, Ms Stevenson received an email saying the shark and baguette may be fine as they refer to activity at the premises, while the flags do not.
They added: "To rectify this breach of advertising consent, the adverts can either be removed or a planning application should be submitted."
The council yielded to its initial backlash, dismissing the case raised by the complaint.
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