BRASH and gaudy retail frontages that are spoiling Salisbury have been named and shamed by the district council.

In a bid to improve the city's historic ambience, the council has produced a new booklet featuring the best and worst examples of shopfront design.

It describes several shopfronts as overbearing, garish, uncomfortable and unsympathetic, while praising others.

Negative examples include Boots, Oddbins, The Salisbury Studio, Superbuys, Tote Bookmakers and The Charcoal Grill.

Meanwhile, some of the businesses given positive ratings were: Watsons, David Brown Tea Rooms, Knapman & Bament, The Cloisters and W Carter & Son.

The booklet, which has been produced by the council's conservation and development control teams, was approved at a cabinet meeting last week.

There was some debate about whether to use the negative examples - mainly as the council had approved them in the first place.

But councillors felt they were acceptable, as long as it was made clear the booklet was not criticising those businesses.

Cabinet member for planning and economic development John Noeken said: "Although there was some concern that the negative examples might upset traders, we felt overall that it would lead to a more consistent approach to such applications in the future. We are not criticising those businesses and we certainly accept responsibility for granting permission for those particular shopfronts, but at that point in time that policy was acceptable.

"What we are trying to do now is raise the game in planning and design."

The guide, to be circulated to all retailers, is aimed particularly at shops within conservation areas or listed buildings.

It stresses that care is needed in the design, colour and materials, so that the finished shopfront reflects the individual business and its setting, rather than any corporate image.

"The new leaflet will give greater guidance not only to applicants, but also officers within the planning department," said Cllr Noeken.