THE BOSS of a controversial town centre cafe is to be told he must close down.

Ian Finch's 12-month battle with Blackburn with Darwen Council looks set to end this Thursday -- with officers asking councillors for permission to start enforcement action to shut down Puccino's in King William Street.

Mr Finch, who invested his redundancy pay from Rolls Royce into buying a franchise of Puccino's, which is expanding across the UK, originally opened without planning permission last summer.

He had been advised that in most parts of the country, shops can change into food outlets without needing fresh planning permission.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council is an exception to the rule, and its regulations insist that planning permission in King William Street can only be granted for retail uses.

That was the reason councillors gave for refusing Mr Finch's orginal planning application, and they approved enforcement action be taken against him to turn his popular deli into what it was before he moved in -- an empty menswear shop.

But after Mr Finch amassed a 1,500 signature petition, the council agreed to reconsider his application "taking into account public support."

However, in a report to Thursday's planning and highways committee, director of regneration Adam Scott said: "It is considered the retention of this deli would jeopardise the character and vitality of King William Street, in that it leads to the isolation of Marks & Spencer as the only major retailer, and would therefore undermine the retail vitality of the street."

Mr Finch said: "I am absolutely amazed by this. The same council allows a burger van to operate in the middle of the street but says my deli damages the street.

"It will be a living nightmare.

"I get visitors coming to Blackburn especially to come to see me, and that has to be good for the town. This has been going for a year now and people are still asking me what is going on. I think Puccino's is an asset to the town, not a bad thing.

"The irony is that the council came in the other day asking me if I would support some of the summer events they are putting on in the town centre.

"Their officers are in here all the time buying coffee to take-out lunches. Surely that tells them that we are doing something for the good of the town."

He added: "If they were so worried about loss of retail space, they shouldn't have let Marks & Spencer open a cafe inside their store.

"I have started our petition again. I hope the public will show the council that the decision they are taking is mad and barmy."

Mr Finch has won the backing of the Blackburn Chamber of Trade already and one businessman today warned that forcing Puccino's out would send the wrong message to other would-be investors.

Jeff Stone, co-owner of the Exchange Arcade, Fleming Square, said: "He has established himself as a popular meeting place, a venue the town centre is much better for having.

"He's not affecting retail vitality, but the council's attitude will.

"On one hand, the council is changing its rules so a lap-dance bar can open next to Blackburn College but trying to close down Puccino's. Perhaps he should try employing topless waitresses, maybe the council would prefer that?"