Station approach traders share their distress after being omitted from a directional sign at the side of Penarth station and also their lack of inclusion in the town's christmas lights scheme.

Angelina Hall and Cathy O'Doherty, from Glass by Design, spoke to Nub News about their concerns.

Ms Hall said: ''The sign points away from local businesses. You come out of the station and the first directional sign you see tells you to walk away from a number of local traders.

''We wrote to the town council to express our concerns but nothing has been done to change it.

''The thing is we like the idea of the sign, I think it's a great idea. All it needed was a couple of sentences added to it to include the station approach traders and we would have supported.

''We were giving the council the opportunity to work with us and that has been rejected. It was the perfect opportunity for the traders and council to come together and for them to listen to our concerns and act on them.

''They wanted us to set up a traders association and we have done that but we are yet to see the benefits of this.

''Some traders attend an informal business with the council every couple of months. They brought up the sign at this, but we were told traders should fund one of their own. After more talking, the Council said they would consider our request. Then the sign appeared with the original wording.

''We have been told that if we want it enough we should raise the money and fund it ourselves.

Regarding the christmas lights, the traders informed us that this was the first time they had not seen decorations in their area.

They said they had not been consulted and it came as a surprise to realise that they would not be receiving any.

Cathy O'Doherty said: ''We would have come together and tried to fund it ourselves if we had known in advance.

''The problem is we are now trying to find lights when most of the stock has gone or it is at its most expensive.

''The council wanted us to have their Penarth in Bloom christmas trees and decorate our windows for the competition in time for the christmas lights which we did and were happy to do. We thought it was a good idea.

''It is nice to have the window display competition started up again.

''We are more than willing to work with them but it doesn't feel like that this is happening both ways.

The traders at Station approach are now discussing the plausibility of getting lights sorted in time for christmas.

Angelina Hall said: ''We are the first area people see stepping into Penarth from the station and we want it to look nice and inviting. It is just frustrating that on two occasions we feel like we have been left out.''

Nub News reached out to Penarth Town Council for a statement on the issues raised by traders.

A spokesperson for the council said: ''Penarth's Christmas lights are funded by Penarth Town Council. Given the increasing costs of Christmas lights contracts, current budgets do not allow greater coverage of the town, however desirable that may be.

''Some Station Approach traders have previously expressed a wish for greater coverage in that area. It is simply not possible for the Town Council to fund this at present.

''The Town Council is keen to support local businesses, evidenced by its support for the Shop Penarth scheme in the lighting displays and through, for the first time, sourcing and installing the lights through a Penarth based business, rather than a multinational.''

''Regarding signage, the 'Welcome to Penarth' sign (which again, highlights Shop Penarth) is a continuation of the Town Council's wayfinding additions to the town, seen in the fingerpost signs around Penarth.

''Previous consultations highlighted a confusion among train passengers visiting Penarth on the location of the town centre, upon alighting in Station Approach.

''The Town Council was not permitted to install a fingerpost multi-directional sign at the train station entrance but has been permitted to install the new sign on the side of the Royal British Legion building.

''This issue was raised and discussed in a meeting between the Town Council, traders group representatives and Shop Penarth representatives. Alternative solutions were investigated. The sign also underwent further consultation in the process of receiving planning permission.''