Apple’s flagship London store has been shuttered for months for refurbishment, and if fans expected it to open in time for the launch of the iPhone 7, they were disappointed. The store remains closed after the company was refused permission to erect an "incongruous and obtrusive" illuminated flagpole outside the building, according to Ars Technica.

City of Westminster council refused Apple’s application to install two external light fittings to illuminate flags erected outside its Regent Street store, due to Apple’s failure to meet a number of requirements for the grade II listed building at 235 Regent St, Mayfair.

The refusal stated that “it is not considered appropriate to illuminate the flagpoles because this would draw unwarranted attention to a commercial feature in a night time streetscape that consists mainly of architectural illumination.”

Apple also failed to pay a £195 fee to the council. [Ars Technica]