A village bakery's campaign to run an informal caf is being backed by residents.

Dozens of villagers in Sutton have signed a petition supporting Helen Hepworth and Trevor Hepworth's stand against Craven council.

The pair were ordered to remove tables and chairs they had already placed in the newly-extended shop area for customers.

The council told the Hepworths they must officially apply for permission to have caf facilities.

They plan to submit an application this weekend along with evidence of why a caf would be useful to villagers. Helen says she has put chairs and tables outside the caf for the past two summers without problems.

She says: "Local people thought it was a good idea so when we had an extension put in we thought it would be a good idea to put in more.

"We already serve hot food, sandwiches and drinks to take away, so it was an obvious thing to do."

"We've had a lot of support from Sutton villagers who are all for the tables and chairs. From their support it's worth fighting for."

Problems over the caf plan centre around government guidelines stating that all new eating establishments must have off-street parking.

Several recent applications for similar facilities in Sutton and Cross Hills have been refused due to lack of suitable parking.

Helen says there is plenty of on-street parking near the bakery. "There's space all round. We're right on the corner of Holme Lane and Bridge Road."

She adds that most customers using the tables arrive by foot rather than car.

"They're locals who've gone out for a walk or been to the park."

Caf facilities were added to Holme Lane Bakery after the previously-cramped ground-floor sales area was extended.

Extensive improvements to the bakery, which also involves new first-floor storage space, are due to be completed next month.

The original application by the building's owner to extend was turned down by Craven council, but was won on appeal.

The government inspector who approved the application attached an order that the building must not be used as a caf.

Planners were concerned that the bakery was on a junction and near a school and a children's crossing patrol.

Steve Place, a Craven district councillor representing Sutton, says officers had no choice but to close the caf after a nearby business complained.

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