Councillor criticised for ending business relationship after two weeks

Councillor Joanna Coleman was selling cup cakes and Danish pastries from the Jo Jo's Danish bakery and caf unit on Nicolson Street alongside curries sold by Muzammal Iqbal and Mohammed Rafiq under the Mother's Kitchen brand in the same unit.

It emerged last week that the premises had been breaking a planning agreement by operating with 14 seats instead of the four it was supposed to have.

Councillor Coleman quit the shop after admitting she was "embarrassed" that she had not been aware of the agreement made with planning officials, saying she had been "misled".

But Mr Iqbal, the leaseholder of the shop, which has continued to trade despite Cllr Coleman's exit, today insisted that the problem was not his fault. He said there was confusion over the number of tables and chairs and he had believed Cllr Coleman was going to obtain the necessary permission.

He said: "Yes we did wrong, I accept that."

"We are not breaking any agreements now. We agreed because we thought she knew what she was doing."

Mr Iqbal said he has already spent 15,000 setting up the business and feared the row would impact on his trade.

Cllr Coleman has been selling cupcakes and pastries under the Jo Jo's brand at farmers' markets across the country. After meeting Mr Rafiq through a mutual friend, she opened in the new unit on October 19. But she abandoned the shop last month and has called for Mr Rafiq to take down the shop sign that contains her brand name.

The council said no complaints were received about the premises - and if one had been they would have investigated.