A ROW has broken out over billboards in Salisbury promoting Southampton to shoppers.
Adverts for the West Quay shopping centre are on boards around Salisbury city centre. They have been attacked for sending out a negative message about shopping in Salisbury.
The controversial advert says: 'Half-a-million reasons to shop in Southampton. Twenty-two departments - half-a-million product lines'.
Cllr Paul Sample, pictured, who represents the city centre Milford ward, is so concerned at the effect it may have on traders in the run-up to Christmas that he has even had his own T-shirt and sign made.
The message that he hopes will trump West Quay reads: '2,500,000 reasons to shop in Salisbury!'
Mr Sample is now planning an autumn tour of rival shopping centres armed with his sign and T-shirt. He promises one of his first destinations will be West Quay.
He said: "When I first saw the sign I was gobsmacked and extremely angry. It must be deeply offensive to the city's traders. We must not take this lying down.
"The advertising for West Quay would have cost thousands and his been organised by rich High Street stores. This is totally unfair as there is no way our independent shops can compete with that."
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