Legal wranglings over airport café

CAFÉ-OWNERS at Land's End Airport, who say they only discovered they were being replaced by a coffee chain when they read a job advert in The Cornishman, said after opening talks over notice or compensation they had been left in the dark about the airport's intentions.

John and Christine Reynolds said they were told they had until March 1 to leave the café they had run for four years, after learning on January 31 they were being replaced by Coffee Republic.

They explained they only learnt the chain was taking over when they saw a job advert seeking permanent staff to run the café at the new £1 million terminal, due to open in April.

The couple entered legal discussions with airport operator the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company to seek either six months' notice, to which they say they are entitled, or compensation to cover loss of profit and possible loss of stock.

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However, Mr Reynolds, who learnt the news just weeks after an operation to remove a kidney and cancerous tumour, said the couple were yet to receive an answer.

"We're getting no information whatsoever," he said. "We don't know what's happening. We're just going to sit tight."

A spokesman for the Steamship Company said: "As this matter is the subject of continuing legal discussions the company has no comment to make at this time."