With the weather hopefully improving soon, the attractions of sitting outside a caf and watching the world go by, grow stronger by the day. However, we were not surprised that plans for an outdoor seating area in Broad Street has proved instantly controversial.

The Broad is, without doubt, a fine street and could be finer still, and preservation groups have been naturally hesitant about adding tables and chairs to the seemingly unstoppable growth in the number of obstacles which appear on the city's streets. It is only a couple of months since we reported on the production, by the Oxford Civic Society, of a booklet highlighting some of the worst eyesores accused of creating "visual chaos" in the centre of the city. That, in turn, came after Oxford was featured in English Heritage's Save Our Streets campaign, showing how England's historic streets were being ruined by clutter.

So anything that further impedes street views and affects the conservation area's character needs to be carefully weighed up.

We just wish that as much care and attention was put into the decision to put up traffic signs which obscure views, obtrusive posts on pavements and ugly street furniture, as is being lavished on a caf's tables and chairs.