Strict rules over shop signs may be introduced in a bid to banish ‘eyesores’, spelling mistakes and translation bloopers.
The Capital Trustees Board has approved a proposal by its member Mohammed Al Abbas to have company artwork checked in advance before commercial registration (CR) is approved by the Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry.
Mr Al Abbas insisted during a recent meeting that there were several example of signage, he claimed, that ‘violated Islamic values and good taste’, used improper English translations that were vague and could be misunderstood, full of grammatical and spelling mistakes, and came in all shapes and sizes.
Not all agree the move was necessary.
The Capital Trustees Authority director-general Mohammed Saad Al Sehli opposed it and told members that municipal inspectors only needed to check whether the name on the board matched that on the CR.
“Signage is an artistic business by itself and every shop owner has a different vision of how to best showcase their trade,” he said. “Some owners want their signage to be flashy, catchy or vertical, rather than horizontal, in a bid to gain attention.
“There are others who deliberately name their shops with spelling or grammatical mistakes so people notice them – our job is to check if signage matches the name as it appears on the CR.”
The GDN reported last year that new rules and guidelines could be laid out for advertisements under a government proposal to update a law that dates back 49 years.
Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf has completed a new draft advertisements law that could crack down on offensive adverts and impose tougher punishments on violators.
The legislation, which will be referred by the Cabinet to newly elected Parliament later this year would replace the 1973 Advertisements Law. It will stipulate new guidelines for advertisements, including electronic billboards, banners and innovative displays.
Mr Al Sehli added that members should wait for the new law, incorporating any suggestions when asked for feedback from MPs.
“The advertisement industry in Bahrain is innovative and strong and we need to consider that their input is necessary since any strict rules may affect them,” he explained.
“Colourful signage, and billboard and electrical advertisements placed in Times Square, New York, for example, make it a fascinating and recognisable place.”
He believes any uniformed approach would prove detrimental to the sector and harm business and risked making the place ‘mediocre’ by enforcing sizes and fonts used in display advertising.
Mr Al Abbas remains steadfast in his views, believing standardised signage would contribute to well organised and pleasant views.
“It would also achieve traffic safety, end eyesores and ensure signage is not an embarrassment or offensive,” he claimed. “Stricter rules don’t mean that they are not flexible and advertisement and signage agencies can work within precise guidelines.”
Under the new rules, signage should be given an electrical and structural security guarantee before being placed.
Specific lighting degrees, outward placement, colours and manufacturing materials would have to be adhered to.
The backed proposal will be now reviewed by Mr Khalaf alongside teams from the Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and Information, and Interior Ministries alongside other concerned government bodies.
Parliament Speaker Fouzia Zainal in 2019 proposed that businesses in Bahrain should be penalised by the ‘grammar police’ if they do not produce signs in proper Arabic.
She said at the time that some Arabic signs were littered with mistakes.
The parliamentary proposal championed by Ms Zainal claimed that Arabic signs containing such mistakes were offensive to the Arabic language and Bahrain’s national identity.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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