The lights outside an Addingham pub have gone out for the last time because they fell foul of Bradford's planning rules.

Frustrated landlord Sam Renton has organised a petition of customers in the Craven Heifer on Main Street because improvements costing thousands of pounds have been blocked by planning bosses.

Last week, Mr Renton had to concede defeat when he took down four lanterns which decorated the front of the building at a cost of about £500.

Earlier he had to remove identification signs costing 'thousands of pounds' from the pub after an appeal to a Government planning inspector failed. The inspector ruled they should not be allowed in a conservation area.

Mr Renton hopes to resubmit a new planning application for smaller signs. His troubles began a year ago after he and pub owner Punch Taverns spent around £300,000 on a complete refurbishment of the Craven Heifer.

When it was completed, planners did not like the signs or the lanterns and ordered him to take them down. A retrospective planning application was rejected by planning bosses on the grounds that they were out of keeping.

Mr Renton said: "They said it was not conducive to the village and did not give the right impression at the gateway to the Dales, but I don't know what the right impression is. I spoke to the parish council and they did not have any objection."

The chairman of the Keighley Area Planning Panel, Coun Chris Greaves, thinks Mr Renton's problems exemplify a common planning mistake that people make in not getting advice.

"They (the signs) were out of keeping and the planning inspector agreed they were out of keeping," said Coun Greaves. It is the standard thing - ask before you do because it can be an expensive mistake."