A DISTINCTIVE sign outside a Church Street restaurant has come under fire from Malvern Town Council.

Coun Robert Dowler condemned the sign outside Caf ZamZam as too big and brash for the Conservation Area.

The Priory member told a meeting of Malvern Town Council's planning committee it is "out of keeping with the shop front and out of keeping with the conservation area".

Coun Richard Simons (Chase) added Malvern Civic Society suspects a sign that has been covered up underneath the new one was paid for with public money.

He explained that grants were made available some time ago for refurbishment of shop fronts from public funds.

The large, green and yellow sign is the subject of a retrospective planning application.

The town council's comments will be passed to Malvern Hills District Council, which will make a decision on planning permission.

A spokesperson for Rofik Ali, who owns the restaurant, said he is prepared to do whatever is necessary to placate the planners, even if it means taking the sign down.

She explained that the owners had not realised they needed permission to put it up in the first place when the caf opened in December.

The sign was intended to draw attention to the new business, which serves Indian meals in the evenings and English food during the day.