‘Rambo’ gets his marching orders from Kendal streets (From The Westmorland Gazette)

‘Rambo’ gets his marching orders from Kendal streets

12:56pm Thursday 28th October 2010 in Ballots

PROMOTION: Co-owner Christian Hoyle with ‘Rambo’

A MALE mannequin which has become a feature of Kendal town centre has been ordered off the street.

Rambo Lunch Man has been on sentry duty outside Lunch, in Branthwaite Brow, for five months – propped up by a lamp-post to promote the business.

He even has his own Facebook site with 529 friends.

But after catching the eye of locals and tourists alike, Lunch co-owner Christian Hoyle has been told that Rambo and his accompanying sign must be removed by Monday because it is attached to ‘street furniture’.

A worker for Capita Symonds – who manage the street for Cumbria County Council – has told Mr Hoyle that the dummy must go.

But the businessman said: “In the current financial situation, we are struggling like everyone else and we need to promote ourselves.

“I can understand the sign being taken down, but everyone associates the mannequin with Lunch and it has helped attract customers. People even stop to get their pictures taken with him.

“Capita Symonds told me there has not been one complaint about him.”

A Cumbria highways spokesman said: “While the sign was at a safe height for pedestrians it appeared to have been hit by a vehicle and we have a duty to ensure that the highway is free of potential obstructions.

“Unlicensed signage can also cause damage to the protective coating on the lighting column and can create increased pressure, which the column is not designed to accommodate.”