INSENSITIVE HEATHROW AD REMOVED

PRESS RELEASE – STOP HEATHROW EXPANSION

31 October 2017

For immediate use

INSENSITIVE HEATHROW AD REMOVED

Campaign group Back Heathrow were forced to remove an advert today after it was placed outside a local business which would be destroyed if a third runway were ever built (1).

The advertisement, which appeared on Friday 27 October, promoted the number jobs that would be created if the airport was expanded – a highly controversial figure which even new evidence by the Department for Transport suggest is wildly over-estimated.

Yet the placing of this advertisement, demonstrates a lack of understanding on the part of the campaign at best, or a total disregard for the community and small business owners at worst.

The business that this advertisement appears outside is owned by Jackie Clark, where her salon has been serving the community for the past 11 years and whose family have lived in the village for over 150 years. Clark is one of thousands, including local workers, who would be forced from the area and those remaining would face life literally metres from the end of a runway, with around 260,000 planes using it every year.

Jackie Clark, owner of Hair By Jackie salon, said: “My family and I have been part of Sipson for 150 years. To have this advert, placed outside my business, is incredibly insensitive as for me Heathrow expansion means not only loss of my home but my job and business too. That is a scary prospect for me and my young family.”

Christine Taylor from campaign group Stop Heathrow Expansion, based in the Heathrow Villages, said: “We have had many complaints from local residents over the past four days since this advert appeared. It is offensive to the who have worked so hard over many generations to make the Heathrow villages successful and vibrant communities. These adverts are not welcome in our community.

“We are very sceptical of the promises made about the number of jobs a third runway at Heathrow would create. We have asked Heathrow repeatedly how many new, permanent jobs were created as a result of Terminal Five yet they have refused to answer time and time again. People will draw their own conclusions as to why they are withholding this information.”

Ends.

Notes

1.     Pictures attached. More available on request

For more information

Rob Barnstone, 07806947050 or Robert.barnstone@outlook.com