A Keighley cafe owner who was ordered to remove Union flags from railings on the pavement outside her business claims a Bradford Council official told her daughter they were ‘racist’.

Janet and Chay Croden, of 1940s-themed ForTeas, say they are dumbfounded anyone would perceive them as racially offensive – although the council has denied the word was ever used by their employee.

They were ordered to remove the six flags from railings directly outside the business because they are council property and because the flags might pose a safety risk if they block visibility, which they now accept.

Mrs Croden, who lives in Cross Roads, said: “We’ve got little Union flags up in our window and no-one’s ever complained about them.”

Her daughter, Chay, who lives at Ingrow, said she was approached by a council employee while serving customers. She indicated she was busy, but said he insistently beckoned her over and demanded the flags tied to the metal railings be removed.

“He said the flags had to come down, and that they were racist and were against a by-law,” she said.

Bradford Council says its officials often ask people to remove banners and advertising from street furniture because it can be a potential safety hazard, as was the case on this occasion.

But a spokesman added: “The council does not in any way consider Union flags to be racist and would not ask people to remove them for that reason.”

Mrs Croden said: “My daughter came back in looking flustered and saying ‘we’re going to get fined’.

“I fully accept the point about the flags being on council property. But the comment about them being racist was just a step too far.

“I’d only had the idea of putting them up as a spur-of-the-moment thing. We’ve taken the flags down, but we’ve already had people saying they want us to put them back up.”

ForTeas is at the corner of North Street and High Street and first opened in April. Its interior includes furniture, furnishings and memorabilia designed to evoke the community spirit of wartime Britain.

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