The Highways Agency (HA) has denied claims it is looking to ban roadside ads for pubs in a bid to cut drink driving.
In news which might be of interest to pub insurance customers, the body stated that media reports claiming it was set do to so were based on a statement which was "open to misinterpretation".
Rumours the body was looking to clamp down on such adverts started after the HA objected to a sign for the Black Dog pub in Chilmark, Wiltshire, being erected next to the A303.
However, the body has now clarified that its opposition to the move did not set any new precedent.
"In this particular instance the agency considered that the advertising sign in question would present a potential distraction to drivers and accordingly recommended that the application be refused on safety grounds," a spokesperson for the HA said.
In other news which might interest pub insurance customers, the Federation of Small Businesses recently called on landlords to be freed from so-called pubco agreements to allow them to compete on a level playing field.
