Frustrated villagers say they are unable to sleep because a "super-bright" pub sign lights up their street at night.

Neighbours of the Tiger Inn in Stowting, between Ashford and Folkestone, claim the illuminated post is "grossly inappropriate".

They have spoken out as the pub – named this year as the best in Kent – has applied retrospectively to keep the sign where it is, having moved it as part of work that finished in May last year.

It had been relocated from the one side of the pub – which overlooks a field – to the other, which is closer to the road and neighbouring buildings.

However, the level of light coming from the sign in a "dark sky area" is said to be causing "serious problems" for residents.

Peter Merrett commented in a letter on the planning application: "The new sign in its new position is too bright and too dominant - it is a blight to the pub's neighbours ability to sleep.

"The pub's management have been asked to but refused point blank to reduce the brightness of the light on the sign.

"The pub's neighbours have had to resort to involving the environmental health department to compel the pub to turn off its lighting, which was previously left on until 3 or 4am. It is now usually turned off at 12.30am."

Another Stowting resident added: "This was once a very peaceful little oasis, now ruined by the over-development of the Tiger, much of which has been carried out with little or no planning consent or consideration.

"No consideration for others has been taken into account.

"The sign should be moved back to its original position - the other side of the pub - where it borders a field rather than towering over the neighbouring bungalow and affecting all nearby properties."

A letter from Stowting Parish Meeting - a body of elected officers representing the parish - described the level of lighting as "grossly inappropriate", suggesting it was 310 times as high as it should be in the area.

"The relevant professional guidance recommends that illuminance levels for advertisements of the size in question in intrinsically dark areas should be no more than 100 candela per metre square (cd/m2)," it added.

"The illuminance level being applied for here is 31,000 cd/m2.

"The very real result of this is that the sign, erected many months ago, is causing serious problems for immediate residents and their ability to enjoy the amenity of their properties.

"Amongst other things, it is lighting up living rooms and bedrooms, with the latter interfering with some residents’ sleeping patterns on a daily basis, all of which is totally unacceptable and must be resolved."

Will Sheldon, managing director of Contemporary Pubs, which owns the inn, says the team is willing to alter the light if needed.

"From our position, we’ve used a standard lighting system that’s used elsewhere throughout the county without concern to KCC highways," he told KentOnline.

"We are waiting for technological information to come back from a KCC electrician, and if we are at fault we will introduce a diffuser to the lighting system to bring the britghtness down.

"The pub is in a remote location, and for health and safety purposes there needs to be light and recognition as to where the pub is –otherwise you could quite easily drive on by.

"The light is on a timer so it comes on when it is dark, and goes off way before our licensing hours end."

Mr Sheldon took over the pub with his wife Nadine, reopening it in June 2021 following a six-figure refurbishment.

In April this year, the pub was named the best in Kent in the Pub and Bar Awards 2022.

Mr Sheldon says the application for the sign had been submitted retrospectively as the team "were not aware that planning consent was needed for the sign to be relocated".

"We felt it is important that the sign be at the entrance to the pub, which it never has been," he explained.

"When it happened, we said to our very close neighbouring residents that if they really do object to the positioning, then they were more than welcome to talk to us about it and ask for it not to happen.

"Those direct neighbours have not asked for that to happen, and therefore we went ahead with the plans."