Shop front signs
A shop front sign is the fascia across the front of your unit, and Sign Group designs, manufactures and installs them from our own London workshop. Choose a fret cut tray, built-up letters on a panel, acrylic, aluminium composite or a projecting sign, flat or illuminated. Old-site guide price: £450 to £5,000.
Every job
Most London shop fronts take one of a handful of forms. The right one depends on your frontage, your budget and whether the sign needs to be lit.
A fret cut tray is a box-shaped sign fixed to the wall with your name and logo cut out of the front. We utilize lasers and machinery to cut out the logos and letters precisely, then apply an acrylic sheet inside the sign box and seal it to prevent water damage.
Built-up letters — also called 3D or channel letters — are individual letters fixed to the fascia rather than cut out of it. These professional 3D letters really have the wow factor, with weatherproof materials ensuring they stand the test of time.
Raised letters put the same lettering on a supplied panel. We produce CNC cut raised letters in Stainless Steel, Aluminium or Acrylic, suitable for the job in hand.
Acrylic fascias suit shops in large complexes or shopping centres: acrylic resists scratches, cleans easily and carries vibrant colours. Aluminium composite is used where the panel is large — thin, perfect for outdoor signage, two coil-coated aluminium sheets bonded to a non-aluminium core.
A projecting sign hangs at right angles to the frontage so it reads to people walking along the street, and usually sits alongside a fascia rather than instead of one.
We have tried and tested the most hardwearing and longstanding materials over the years, making sure that everything we manufacture stands the test of time.
In the autumn and winter months the sun goes down around 4:00pm and unlit signs become hard to read, which is bad for business. We specialise in all sorts of illuminated signs — 3D letters, fret cut trays, LED signage, halo illuminated letters, lightboxes and projecting signs — so your business is seen around the clock.
Halo illumination backlights individual letters to add depth and visibility. Fret-cut logos with internal illumination let light shine through a solid panel. Pencil or trough lights and spotlights highlight specific areas. Lightboxes and flex face signs use a box structure with illuminated graphics or a flexible face.
Our LED signs use high-quality Samsung components. Quality tested LEDs can last as long as 100,000 hours, and LED signs only use around 10 watts of power, which is 80% less energy output than traditional neon signs.
General guidance, not legal advice — your local authority has the final say.
Do I need planning permission for my shop sign? In short, yes. Installing shop signage on your building requires planning permission. This is a legal requirement and is primarily in place for safety reasons. However, shop signs smaller than 0.3 square metres generally do not require planning permission. Planning permission is also necessary for light boxes and illuminated signage, regardless of size.
To obtain it you contact your local planning authority, typically a borough, district or city council. They assess your location, the type of signage, whether the sign is safe and whether the design is clear. You will also need permission from the property owner. Installing without permission can mean removal at best, and substantial fines and legal action at worst.
We can take this on with you: pre-application advice, application preparation, liaison with the authority and post-approval compliance, including listed buildings, conservation zones and landlord approvals.
To give an accurate quote, we will need rough measurements – or we can come and see you to do a site visit if you are unsure. Sending us photos of the shop front, or just the address, also gives us an idea of what the project involves.
We can also design shop front signs for you with our in-house graphic design team, and we provide a highly detailed proof before manufacturing. All quotes are based on measurements, materials, and whether the sign is illuminated, flat or built-up letters. Our items are built to order.
Manufacture happens on site, using high quality tried and tested materials, with the latest in laser cutting technology and specialist installers.
Our installation team is trained and certified in working at height (IPAF and PASMA trained), safe electrical connections for illuminated signage, and risk assessments and method statements (RAMS). They are fully insured and experienced with brick façades, glass storefronts and metal cladding. Afterwards we offer post-installation maintenance and repairs.
From site survey to install typically takes 2–4 weeks, depending on permissions and fabrication. Individual jobs vary: signs in our portfolio were completed in 1 week, 10 working days, 2, 3 and 4 weeks, and a full multi-room branding roll-out took 2 months.
We are based at 17 Burnt Oak Broadway in Edgware, and most of our shop front work is across London.
Recent fascias here were installed in Hampstead, Muswell Hill, Crouch End, East Finchley, Finchley Central, Hatch End, Canons Park, Willesden Junction, Oakwood, Southall, Twickenham, Harrow, Northwood, High Barnet, Stanmore, St Paul’s, Little Venice and Burnt Oak, with work further out in Borehamwood, Radlett and Bedford.
In north-west London we work with shops, offices, cafés, salons, bars, restaurants, and corporate clients across areas like Camden, Brent, Harrow, and Barnet. On-site surveys are available across London and the UK.
Shop front signs typically cost from £450 to £5000, depending on factors such as size and whether the customer or the sign maker handles the installation. This price guide covers various designs and styles of shop front signs and some bespoke outdoor signs. If you require a bespoke sign, we can accommodate your needs as we manufacture our signs.
Commonly used materials for shop signs include acrylic, Correx, aluminium, Foamex and vinyl. Acrylic is a highly popular choice for quality signage: it is very resistant to scratches, easy to clean, and ideal for 3D signage and backlit signage. Aluminium signs are corrosion-proof, water-resistant and offer long-lasting outdoor protection. Foamex is a lightweight PVC foam sheet with a high-quality, smooth finish, suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Traditional options include steel and stainless steel, wood, glass, stone and cardboard.
In short, yes. Installing shop signage on your building requires planning permission. This is a legal requirement and is primarily in place for safety reasons. However, shop signs smaller than 0.3 square metres generally do not require planning permission. Planning permission is also necessary for light boxes and illuminated signage, regardless of size.
To obtain planning permission for your shop sign, you must contact your local planning authority, typically a borough, district, or city council. They will assess your location and the type of signage you plan to install and provide guidance on the specific requirements and processes.
Lightboxes and flexi face signs use a box-like structure with illuminated graphics or flexible face material. Letters with halo illumination feature individual letters or logos with backlighting that creates a halo effect. Fret-cut logos with internal illumination have intricate logos cut out of a solid panel, allowing interior lighting to shine through. Pencil or trough lights and spotlights use focused lighting to highlight specific areas or features.
From site survey to install can take 2–4 weeks, depending on permissions and fabrication. Individual jobs vary: signs in our portfolio have been recorded at 1 week, 10 working days, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks, and a full multi-room branding roll-out took 2 months.
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