“It’s garish, overlarge and totally inappropriate,” said Ian King, the local body’s planning spokesman.

He told last week’s meeting he had checked the conditions which were imposed by Scottish Borders Council when Scotbet (formerly Morrison’s) was granted consent for the signage in January.

Agents for Scotland’s largest independent bookmaker had submitted a revised design after being informed by SBC planning officer Hamish Bell that there was much local disquiet about the style and impact of what had been originally proposed.

“Although the community council objected strongly to a betting shop in such a prominent position as the former post office in the town square, we lost that battle,” said Mr King.

“But it appeared our views on the signage had been taken on board with the revised style which were more discreet with small individual lettering.”

Carolyn Riddell-Carre, who represents Selkirkshire on SBC, said she would pursue the matter with the planning department’s enforcement officer.

“This looks like blatant breach of planning conditions and, as such, the signs should be taken down and replaced with something more appropriate,” said Mr King.

“One recent visitor to Selkirk said: ‘It’s a pity about the betting shop in Market Place: it lowers the whole tone of the town’.

“It is hard to disagree with that assessment and the reality confirms the fears we expressed last year when we opposed the application.”

Even Jim Gibson, the only community councillor to support the betting shop move, told the meeting he believed the sign was unacceptable.

However, an SBC source told us: “It appears that, some time after January, the firm sought a further amendment to its revised proposals and this was agreed by Mr Bell who is no longer with the planning department.

“If that is the case, nothing can be done.”

Scotbet’s local manager Andy Bennett said he was unaware of any problems with the signage.