Parliament Just Debated Neon Signs — But Will It Stop the LED Invasion?

Posted by Smithers | 6-Minute Read | 🔥 Craft, Culture & Cold Truths

Last May, while most of Britain was neck-deep in Love Island reruns and Aldi rosé, something genuinely electric happened in Westminster —Parliament stood up and debated the topic, with Hanson raising the issue in session, Real ones. Gas, glass, artistry — the works.  And if you want to see real neon craftsmanship still alive in Britain — these neon sign makers are the real deal

Yep, you read that right. Neon signage got its moment in the House of Commons.
And it wasn’t some PR stunt or art-school fluff.
It was a full-on, heartfelt mic-drop on the future of British craft — led by Yasmin Qureshi MP and backed by actual facts, not fairy lights.

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🔧 Gas, Glass, and Grit — The Real Deal

Yasmin didn’t hold back. She laid down the truth:

• Only 27 full-time neon glass benders left in the UK. Twenty-seven. That’s fewer than the average Love Island cast list.

• Authentic neon is being wiped out by cheap LED knock-offs — £30 plug-ins masquerading as “a neon” sign when they’re really just silicone tubes and marketing lies.

• And the worst bit? Search engines are swamped. Go Google “neon sign” and prepare for an avalanche of the same old LED neon tapeworms, rebranded six ways to Sunday. It’s all algorithm-friendly, factory-made fluff.

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🥊 The Problem? It’s Not Just the LED Glowsticks…

It’s everything.
Everything’s flooded. Every keyword, every product, every bloody blog post.

Google used to show you the best of the best. Now it shows you… the most optimised version of the same 800 fake neon signs with smiley faces and bad fonts.

Real neon has been buried under SEO spaghetti.
And the small studios — like Neon Creations up in Bolton — are getting smashed because they’ve got the talent, but not the Google Ads budget.

At Smithers, we’ve seen it too.
We craft actual gas-filled neons. No shortcuts, no imports, no slap-a-logo-on-it eBay specials. But it’s a constant fight to cut through the digital noise — and let’s face it, the internet doesn’t give a toss about artistry anymore. Just CTR and ROI and other acronyms that make you want to smash your router.

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💼 What Parliament Could Do (But Probably Won’t)

Yasmin made some cracking points:

• A legal definition of neon (like how “Champagne” has rules)

• A Neon Protection Act

• A British Standard certification

• And more public funding for actual training — because guess what? There are zero full-time neon trainees left in the entire UK.

But what did she get in return?

A few puns.
A bit of poetry.
Some “we hear you” lip service from a Minister quoting Bob Marley.

No action. No funding. No bans. No new regulations.
Just the usual: “We will not let the lights go out.”
Sure, mate. But you’re not the one trying to sell real neon in an Amazon world, are you?

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🎯 Here’s the Harsh Truth

If it’s not made of glass and gas, it’s not neon.

End of story.

LED signs pretending to be neon? That’s like calling an Air Fryer a Michelin star kitchen.

It’s fake. It’s lazy. And it’s flooding the market because nobody wants to challenge the cheap import scene. Not Google. Not TikTok. Not Etsy. And certainly not your average dropshipper with a Canva logo.

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💥 What We’re Doing About It

At Smithers, we’re not going quietly. We’ll keep bending glass, burning fingers, and lighting up spaces the old-school way. From bedroom bar signs to custom restaurant installs, we deliver real neon with real swagger.

And if you want a proper neon sign — not a bendy LED noodle that dies after six months — you know where to find us.

You want authenticity?
Get off page 1 of Google and come find the ones who started it.

Plus, if you’re into the real deal (not the cheap imitations), you can browse our Neon Signs collection — handcrafted, gas-filled, proper old-school.

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✊ Final Glow-Down

The world doesn’t need more fake neon. It needs more fire, more craftsmanship, more unapologetic glow.

So here’s our shout back to Parliament:

• Don’t let this be just another niche debate buried on Hansard.

• Push through the Neon Protection Act. Certify the craft.

• And for god’s sake — sort out the bloody search engines.

Because if Smithers and a handful of artisans stop, the next “neon” you buy will be nothing more than plastic, glue, and broken promises.

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👇 Drop your thoughts below. If you’re sick of scrolling through LED landfill just to find something real, you’re not alone.

🟡 Real neon forever.
🟡 Keep the gas glowing.
🟡 Craft. Don’t copy.

Neon Industry Insight:

According to Coherent Market Insights, the neon signs industry is projected to grow from USD 2.53B in 2025 to USD 3.63B by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate of 5.3%. We were featured in their latest report as one of the UK’s leading custom neon brands. Integrating this insight adds further credibility and relevance to our discussion.
Coherent Market Insights

💥 Join the Neon Sign Debate – Parliament vs Hanson 💥

Think neon should stay bold and bright, or are the killjoys in suits trying to dim the vibe?
We’ve clapped back—now it’s your turn.

👉 Read the full Hanson vs Parliament Neon Sign Debate
Cast your opinion. Start the noise. Stir the pot. Make it loud.

✍️ Blog Section: Protecting the Neon Sign Industry

Support for Traditional Neon Craftsmanship
In 2025, a formal petition was launched on the UK Government’s official petition platform, calling for the creation of a Neon Signs Protection Act. The petition urges Parliament to introduce legislation that protects the traditional craft of neon sign making — ensuring that only genuine glass-tube neon can be legally sold and marketed as “neon.”

As mass-produced LED imitators continue to flood the market, this petition represents a growing movement among British neon artists and makers to preserve the authenticity and legacy of the industry. You can view the full petition on the UK Government website.

🔥 Should neon signs be protected or regulated? Tell us what you think in comments below.

✊ interested in more neon love read our neon hub for inspiration.