FOR seven years the Marshalls have been selling locally produced beef, pork and chicken to the villagers of Rettendon.
And for seven years a six foot by four sign has sat outside the gates of their 12-acre farm directing new customers into the family-run butchers.
But now the family has been told to tear down the trailer-mounted sign by planning officers at Chelmsford City Council.
They have even been threatened with legal action if they fail to comply with the directive, which has been branded "ridiculous" by one parish councillor.
"It's absolutely crazy. It's been up for seven years and it makes you wonder why they want to take it down now," said Keith Marshall, 66, who runs Whitegates Farm with his wife Jennifer and son Thomas.
"I've had new customers ring in and tell me they can't find us."
The sign, which reads "Farm shop – pull in. Prime home produced beef and rare breed pork", has sat on a small trailer opposite the main farm buildings on South Hanningfield Road since the shop opened in 2006.
The land is owned by the Marshalls, but a year ago the local authority told the family to take the sign down. The family ignored the council's demand.
"I thought 'I'm not having that – this is our livelihood'," Mr Marshall said.
Two weeks ago Chelmsford City Council returned and asked the farmers to move the trailer carrying the sign.
In a show of defiance the family moved the trailer ten metres down the road, but the council came back and gave them 48 hours to move it from its current location.
The family took the sign down for a week but business suffered, so they put it back up, this time on a teleporter, a tractor with a ten-metre moveable arm.
This week, the council gave them a final ultimatum and threatened to take Mr Marshall to court if he continued to disobey their orders.
"It's just ridiculous," said Rettendon parish councillor Roy Hart. These are hardworking people who have done really well with their business.
"It is not fair. You see these signs for farm shops up and down the country. There seems to be one rule for some people and another rule for others."
A Chelmsford City Council spokesperson said: "The council has received complaints regarding the display of unlawful advertisements at Whitegates Farm.
"One such advertisement has already been refused consent by the council and is now the subject of an appeal, recently been lodged by Mr Marshall.
"We have requested that a further unlawful advertisement be removed. Mr Marshall has been allowed until Thursday, 28 February, to ensure its removal, after which time the council will consider its options for taking formal enforcement action."
