Major update to the legal definition of neon

The protection of neon signage has been debated in the UK House of Commons, with politicians calling on the craft to be legally protected.

The House of Commons debate was the culmination of an advocacy campaign by Catherine and Tony Spink, neon craftspeople and founders of Neon Creations. The campaign was launched by Catherine Spink in 2023 to put an end to what they say is the false advertising of LED signs listed as ‘neon’.

Last week (May 6^th), MP Yasmin Qureshi addressed the House of Commons on the issue of protecting the heritage craft of neon sign making in the UK.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Qureshi said: “I recently visited Tony and Catherine at their studio and was transported to a magical world of amazing colours, seeing the stunning artwork they produced and being given demonstrations of how to bend the glass to create their signs.

“But this proud craft is under threat, not because we no longer appreciate its beauty, but because it is being quietly and insidiously eroded by misleading marketing and unfair competition from the mass produced LED imitation products, often incorrectly and deliberately labelled as neon signs.”

Qureshi called upon the government to protect the definition of neon, in order to prevent the heritage craft from being overtaken by cheaper, mass-produced alternatives.

During the debate, Sir Chris Bryant, minister of state for Culture, Media, and Sport, agreed that greater clarity is needed about what defines something as neon, insisting that the government would help to protect the craft.

Bryant closed the debate in the House of Commons by saying: "The government hears the case that is being made for neon signage, not as a gimmick or an indulgence but as an essential, flickering thread in the tapestry of British creativity.

“We hear the concern from artists, from heritage bodies, and from communities who want to see colour, identity, and local pride preserved. We are committed to working with industry, local government, and the wider public to explore how best to secure the future of this unique form of creative expression. On this, we will not let the lights go out."

Bryant concluded by quoting neon artist Chrissa, who compared the difficulty of crafting neon to Japanese calligraphy, asserting: “We should never let go of such artistry in our British traditions.”

Speaking exclusively to SignLink in response to the debate, Catherine Spink says: “We are very grateful that Yasmin Qureshi has given us a voice in Parliament, and we finally feel that the campaign is gaining some traction. We are confident for a positive outcome in securing some kind of protection around the use of the term neon signs.”

Catherine Spink launched the initiative to protect neon in 2023, with support from the Heritage Crafts Association (HCA). The HCA added the skill of creating neon onto its Red List of Endangered Crafts in 2019.

As part of the initial campaign, Catherine sent a letter addressing the issue, with over 90 supporters, to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Trading Standards.

A formal meeting then took place earlier this year with a cross-party parliamentary group, discussing the legal protection of neon sign-making.

Catherine and Tony Spink were invited by the UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group for Craft to Portcullis House in London, where they delivered a ten-minute presentation on preventing the misuse of the term 'neon sign' and other derivatives by companies that are selling LED alternatives and labelling them as neon.

The meeting reportedly included representatives from the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The campaign has also reportedly received a range of support from neon sign companies worldwide who are facing similar issues.