Where I live some shopkeepers have taken to placing advertising boards on the pavements, which are already cluttered with traffic signs and telegraph poles. It means pedestrians, including those with mobility problems, often have to go into the road to get round them. Isn’t it illegal to obstruct the highway like this?
There are often local by-laws in place to tackle this problem, but in any case councils have powers to keep the pavements clear under section 137 of the Highways Act, under which anyone wilfully obstructing the highway (including pavements) can be fined. The council should send someone out to inspect the problem if you notify them and will take the matter further if they think your complaint is justified.