DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL said it has so far received zero valid applications from businesses to place sandwich boards outside their premises since the deadline passed on August 31.

The city council licenced the boards from 1 September, levying an annual charge of €630. Some business owners say the final cost to them could well be far higher, due to related application costs.

The boards can be an effective advertising tool for businesses around the city centre’s narrow, winding streets – but they can also clutter pathways and make it difficult for those who use wheelchairs and the visually impaired.

Many restaurants and cafes hit out at what they described as the extortionate cost to place the boards outside their businesses.

To be allowed place one of the signs outside a business, it must register itself with the council, something no company has yet to seek.

If a premises is found to be using a sandwich board without a licence then the board can be removed by the council.

To enforce these new changes, DCC has appointed a number of new inspectors.

A spokeswoman said: “No valid applications have been received to date. Enforcement began on Monday morning with unlicensed boards being removed by the Council.

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“Enforcement will take place on an ongoing basis over different shifts by day and evening/night. The unit is made up of existing DCC staff with four new staff being recruited at Assistant Inspector level.”

With reporting by Garreth MacNamee