Purpose of Brown Signage
Mid Ulster District Council are responsible for co-ordinating applications for tourism signage within the Borough, in conjuncton with Tourism NI and DfI Roads.
White-on-brown tourist signs constitute one part of the overall family of direction signs. The main purpose of tourist signs is to guide visitors to their desired destinations via the most appropriate route at the latter stages of their journey, particularly where destinations are hard to find. As with all other direction signs, tourist signs are an aid to safe and efficient navigation, to complement, but not replace, pre-planning of the journey and the use of navigational aids such as verbal instructions, maps, road atlases, websites, satellite navigation systems, and mobile phone applications.
Who Can Apply?
Across Northern Ireland, tourist destinations are categorised as either tourist facilities or tourist attractions for signage purposes.
Tourist Facilities
Examples include:
In line with current guidance, tourist facilities located directly on A or B class roads will not normally be eligible for brown signage, as these locations are generally easy to find.
Tourist Attractions
Examples include:
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Visitor attractions and visitor centres
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Museums and heritage sites
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Zoos and wildlife attractions
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Activity centres
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Theatres and arts venues
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Public gardens
Eligible tourist attractions may be signposted from the nearest suitable main road. In exceptional circumstances, signage from motorway routes may also be considered.
What Is Not Eligible?
Some services, while useful to visitors, do not qualify as tourist attractions and are therefore not eligible for brown tourism signage. These are classed as utilities. Utilities include:
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Shops and shopping centres
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Cafés, restaurants, pubs, and bars
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Art galleries and garden centres
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Beauty salons and spas
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Conference and exhibition venues
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Port and transport facilities
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Leisure utilities such as amusement arcades, soft play centres, escape rooms, bowling alleys, and cinemas
Tourism signage is not intended to be used for advertising or promotion, and approval will not be given where signage would give one business an unfair advantage over another. The primary purpose of tourism signage is to support safe traffic movement and effective road management.
Other Types of Signage
Organisations such as churches, theatres, public buildings, retail outlets, and transport facilities that do not meet Tourism NI criteria may be eligible for black-on-white directional signage under separate DfI Roads guidance. Further information on alternative signage options can be found in the relevant policy documents.
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying for brown tourism signage, please complete the Tourism NI Brown Signage Application Form, available to download below. Applications should be submitted to tourism@midulstercouncil.org. As part of the assessment process:
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Tourism NI will assess eligibility
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DfI Roads will consider signage design, location, cost, and road safety
Please note that meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee approval. The final decision rests with DfI Roads, based on traffic management and safety considerations.
Costs
Where signage is approved, the full cost of supply and installation must be paid in advance by the applicant. Guidance notes outlining the application process are available to download below.
Downloads
