Advertise in local spaces
This page provides guidance on suitable sizes and locations for community and event advertising.
We encourage community advertisers to use common sense in choosing only the most necessary locations for local advertising in the district.
If you are advertising a business, please contact Planning for more information. Any signs advertising a business must be on the premises to which it relates.
Advertise an event
- We would not expect any advertisement to be erected more than 21 days before the start of an event
- No temporary sign should obstruct any other existing signage, temporary or permanent
- We would normally expect signs and advertisements to be no more than 100cmx60cm, but provided all other aspects relating to these guidelines are observed, slightly larger advertisements may be tolerated
- We would normally expect any sign or advertisement for a charity or community event to include the name, web address, telephone number and address of the event
- Signs advertising a village fete, funfair or circus are permitted without the above details as long as they are sited in a suitable place without causing any safety issues
- We expect the signs together with any metal or plastic ties or string used to attach the sign to be removed within 48 hours after the end of the event.
- There is currently no resource in place for the active management of 'A' Boards either by West Sussex County Council or Horsham District Council. However, as a general rule of thumb there should be a maximum of 1 per business, perpendicular to and less than 1 metre from the shopfront or business and the owners should have not less than £5M current Public Liability Insurance.
Horsham Town Centre
Community noticeboards
If wanting to use the Horsham town centre Community Notice Boards, located in the Carfax and Park, users can drop off 2 x A4 posters to the Council’s reception at Parkside, to be marked for the attention of HDC Property Services.
Please note that there is high demand for space on these noticeboards, therefore the opportunity to feature posters is subject to availability.
Carfax railings
Not for Profit Community event organisers seeking to attract people in to the town centre itself, may also be able to display a banner in the Carfax on the tree railings ("Carfax Tree Wraps") or the railings opposite the Crown ("Carfax Amphitheatre"), subject to space availability.
Prior to submitting a request, those looking to display promotional materials in this location should be aware of the following:
- Commercial advertising (including for paid for ticketed events) is NOT permitted. Please take a look at the car park advertising options available, as an alternative.
- The Capitol Theatre, operated by Horsham District Council, have their own allocated spaces separate to the above conditions.
- Any agreement to display promotional materials can be withdrawn by Horsham District Council at any time, without liability.
- Any agreement to display promotional materials, is at the event organisers’ own risk. Horsham District Council will not be held liable for any damage to or loss of these promotional materials.
Please email BusinessDevelopment@horsham.gov.uk with your request to discuss availability, eligibility and to check banner sizing requirements.
Images showing examples of these advertising options are included below.
Carfax Amphitheatre Banner
Example of a banner displayed on the railings opposite the Crown ("Carfax Amphitheatre").
Carfax Tree Wraps
Example of a banner displayed on the railings around a tree in the Carfax ("Carfax Tree Wraps").
Signs on private land
We encourage the use of private land for promoting community and charity events.
It is permissible to place signs or advertisements on private land with the permission of the landowner but advertisers are encouraged not to keep such signs up for more than 21 days in advance of an event and to remove them promptly, ideally within 48 hours, of the event concluding. This covers for example the 'South of England Show' type boards placed in hedgerows or inside field boundaries.
Such advertisements do not need to contain a name, address and telephone number. In the event that a District Council Officer perceives that any of these signs present a danger then we will liaise with the landowner to suggest a better location.
What happens if I don’t comply?
- We expect the signs together with any metal or plastic ties or string used to attach the sign to be removed within 48 hours after the end of the event. In any case they must be removed within 14 days from the end of the event otherwise the Council will either issue a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice for each sign still on display or will remove the sign(s) and claim back the cost of removal from the originator or beneficiary of the sign or from the company which put the signs up.
- Any signs or advertisements which do not comply with the guidelines above are not acceptable. This includes any sign or advertisement which; (a) is on a roundabout (unless it is a fixed sign sponsoring the roundabout) (b) is obstructing a highway, impeding a driver's sightline or obscuring (or hindering the interpretation of) a road, rail, waterway or aircraft sign (c) is offensive (d) has the likely potential to cause harm or which is considered to be a hazard because of its size, location or condition (e) which does not include the beneficiary's name and address or name and telephone number or a valid web address (see point 4 above).
- In the case of signs which we do not regard as acceptable, these shall be promptly removed or the originator of the sign(s) will be contacted by Horsham District Council and given 48 hours to remove the sign(s). If a sign is not removed within 48 hours then the Council will either issue a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice for each sign or will remove the signs and claim back the cost of removal from the originator or beneficiary of the sign or from the company which put the signs up.
- Any sign removed by Horsham District Council (HDC) shall be disposed of without reference to the originator. Horsham District Council shall not be responsible for storing signs, for any damage caused to the signs or for returning signs to the owner.
Estate Agent's boards
An Estate Agent's board relating to the selling or renting of a property must only be kept on the land to which it relates.