Whitby's CEX shop "losing business" as a result of not being bright red

A retailer in the heart of Whitby wants to be able to paint its shopfront bright red as it says it is losing business as a result of its muted colours.
Whitby CEX shop on Baxtergate.Whitby CEX shop on Baxtergate.
Whitby CEX shop on Baxtergate.

Second-hand electronics retailer CEX opened up in the town’s Baxtergate in 2018 after agreeing to requests from Scarborough Council to tone down its colour scheme to fit in with Whitby’s Conservation Area.

The national chain put aside its usual red facade for a more conservative black shopfront for the Grade II listed building.

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However, the owners have now applied to the borough council to lift the restriction and use the company’s red branding as it says it is losing sales and is being singled out by the authority.

The planning application states: “The proposal is for the change of colour of the existing shopfront and signage background from black to the corporate red colour.

“The applicant believes this is essential as it affecting his sales and his economic viability to operate in this location.

“Walking down the street it is evident other business have been permitted to use their corporate colours, example the Flowerpot shopfront in red, Yorkshire bank in corporate blue, Scope in corporate purple, Heron Foods in corporate yellow, Ramsden in corporate green, etc but to name a few.”

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When the shop applied for planning permission in 2018 Whitby Civic Society “strongly objected” to the proposed use of the company’s traditional red branding, saying it would be “unacceptable” and out of keeping with the character of the area.

Scarborough Council agreed and told CEX that it would not be granted permission to open if it wanted to use red and so, as a compromise, the company agreed to use black instead.

The plans are now out to consultation.