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It’s always great to see where our flags are installed and we were delighted when our client, Image Techniques sent us the attached photos of the flags we supplied to them installed at the prestigious Airth Castle.  Airth Castle overlooks the village of Airth and the River Forth near Falkirk. The castle is currently operated as a hotel and spa. The castle is a major historic building, and retains much medieval fabric, and is designated as a Category A listed building by Historic Scotland.  So any flags produced needed to be of suitable quality and style to reflect the grand nature of the building.

Banner Box were commissioned to make a pair of digitally printed double sided flags, finished to suit the angles poles at the front of the building.  Many thanks to Image Techniques for sending us through these images and we hope you and your client were suitable pleased with the finished result.

The solution used for these flags was a double sided flag, finished with an interliner, the tops were angled to match the angle of the poles and then had a tether line to prevent the flags from wrapping over the poles.

A charitable biker who has raised thousands of pounds for the armed services has fallen foul of the law, because of the number of flags he’s been flying from his machine while riding around London. He’s now fighting to be able to continue his benevolent activities.

Broderick Mills from Streatham in South London was stopped by police while flying flags from his bike during a fund-raising charity ride last October. They claimed that the flags constituted a hazard and should be removed. He has since been charged with the offence of ‘using a motor vehicle or trailer with equipment likely to cause danger or injury’.

57-year-old Broderick has raised more than £4,000 for the Royal British Legion and £6,000 for the Army Benevolent Fund so far, and he’s disgusted that the police have taken this action. He said, “The flags are a great way of drawing attention to these causes – I can see people smiling as I pass by because my motorbike looks like a carnival float”. He’s also worried that, if he’s convicted of the offence, he’ll collect some penalty points on his licence, which will cause his insurance to be too costly to continue biking on his themed rides around the capital.

He has pleaded not guilty to the offence, and his case is due to be heard before Richmond magistrates in June. In the meantime, he’s probably sitting at home recalling the days when mods used to ride down to Brighton with every conceivable flag and bunting flying from their machines, without retribution. Happy days.

As many a member of the armed forces knows, there are formalities to be observed when flying the national flag. Perhaps the most newsworthy are the instances where it is flown upside down. But equally distressing, according to the seasoned campaigners of Rutherglen in Scotland, is when it’s flown in a worn out condition, and not lowered at night.

The Ruglonians, as the residents are known, have asked South Lanarkshire Council to show more respect for the flag – the symbol of people who have fought for their country under it. Gerry Daly, who is leading the campaign, says that he has spent much of his working life travelling around the UK. He was ashamed to see how the flag was being treated when he moved back to the area six years ago.

“Many people have fought and died for the flag, as witnessed by the countless Rolls of Honour inscribed on so many cenotaphs at home and abroad. Military installations always raise the flag at dawn and lower it again at dusk,” he said. He is calling for the flag to be illuminated, or even taken down if the situation can’t be improved.

A spokesperson for the Council explained that the Town Hall flag is replaced around four times a year, and that they simply haven’t got the resources to raise and lower the flag every day. The photograph shows that the town hall is already well illuminated at night. Could they perhaps adjust a couple of the spotlights to shine on the flag to keep the old soldiers happy?

If you want to fly a Jolly Roger flag in your back garden, don’t tell East Lindsey Council in Lincolnshire. The chances are they’ll pounce on you with a threatening letter.

That’s what they did when Sara and Ronnie Ford-Kennedy put up a Jolly Roger flag as part of their son’s play area in the garden. Seven-year-old Anthony, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, was obviously blissfully unaware that he might be contravening advertising planning regulations. The Council threatened action because they claimed that a flagpole like this warranted the issue of a formal complaint letter to make those concerned aware of their breach of the law.

In this case however, the local authority have now sent a formal apology to the boy and his family. They have admitted that their actions were excessive and that they would take no further action over the matter.

In the letter sent to Sara and Ronnie, they said that they wanted to “take the opportunity to apologise to you formally for the severity of the letter you received in relation to the pirate flag you were flying in the garden for your son, Anthony.

 When we receive a planning-related complaint, the council has a duty to write to make those concerned aware, but accept on this occasion our letter was over the top.”

Sara and Ronnie just hope that the embarrassment of the incident will encourage the council to “sit back and drink a large cup of common sense” in future, before sending out similar letters.