A businessman who flouted planning laws to set up a cafe is set to receive his marching orders this week if plans are approved by councillors.

But the owner says he is more determined than ever to fight to stay open.

Early last month Leo Dooley, of East Bowling, opened up Gutbusters cafe at 3-4 Glenroyal Buildings, Briggate, Shipley - despite having had his scheme turned down by planners at a meeting on September 3.

At a meeting on Thursday, council officers are recommending an enforcement notice be served on Mr Dooley, forcing him to cease trading and to shut up shop within 28 days of the notice.

Officers fear that the unauthorised use of the cafe will result in customers parking in the bus lay-by outside. They say this will be "detrimental to highway safety, particularly if they are HGVs or commercial vehicles".

But Mr Dooley has dismissed their claims and says he is more determined than ever to fight the plans to close the cafe down.

He said: "I spent £5,000 doing this place up and then they turn round and tell me I can't have planning permission.

"I'm determined to fight on. Since we've been open, only one car has ever parked in that lay-by, which shows there's no highway safety problem.

"I've got a lot of support from my customers. Everyone wants the cafe open and I'm planning to carry on."

Mr Dooley says that more than 100 people have signed a petition in favour of keeping the cafe open and that more people are adding their names to the document every day.

The fate of the cafe will be decided by councillors at Thursday's meeting of the town and country planning sub-committee (Shipley area) at Shipley town hall.

It was feared the police might have to be called at the original meeting of the sub-committee when an angry Mr Dooley left to confront planning officers.

He was exasperated he was not allowed to play a recording of a planning officer allegedly telling him his plans would be accepted. He finally left after a heated discussion.

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