A coffee shop owner who has banned from staring into a rival cafe has had a humiliating order against her overturned – and now plans to take legal action against the council.
Kerry Radley said it was ‘bonkers’ that she was slapped with a Community Protection Notice (CPN) by Broadland Distict Council in Norfolk.
The 45-year-old owned Radley’s Coffee Shop in Salhouse, but her business took a turn for the worse after she was accused of causing ‘anxiety’ to customers and staff at the rival Prima Rosa coffee shop.
She always denied the allegations and following a court appeal, the council has dropped the CPN and paid her more than £1,200. The case was due to go before Norwich Magistrates’ Court next month.
Kerry Radley, outside the now-closed Radley’s Coffee Shop, said it was ‘bonkers’ that she was slapped with a Community Protection Notice (CPN) by Broadland Distict Council, Norfolk
She said: ‘I am really happy it [the CPN] has been overturned – it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
‘They [the council] said they dropped it because I had not done anything further, but I think they were just worming their way out of it.’
Ms Radley is now planning her own legal action for defamation of character against the council.
As part of the humiliating order against her, Ms Radley was not allowed to enter premises, stare into the cafe or take pictures of customer or friends of people of Prima Rosa.
The now-closed Radley’s Coffee Shop in Salhouse, Norfolk, which was closed last year
Ms Radley revealed that she received a torrent of abuse following the CPN, and one of her signs was even smothered in dog faeces
Radley was accused of removing Prima Rosa advertising and was said to have intimidated cafe suppliers, customers and friends.
She revealed that she suffered abuse online, had her shop sign smeared with dog faeces and was accused of breaking the order by the council.
Radley said at the time: ‘I burst into tears when they served it. It was really embarrassing and I had to shut the shop.
‘The conditions of the CPN are just ridiculous.’
Despite the harsh ruling, Broadland council said it stood by its original decision of slapping Ms Radley with the CPN and insisted it would have reviewed the order in the matter of months, regardless of her protests.
A spokesman for the council said: ‘Broadland District Council is content and pleased to acknowledge that since the CPN was issued, there have been no further allegations or complaints made against Kerry Radley of the nature referred to in the CPN.’
Ms Radley was not allowed to enter premises, stare into the cafe or take pictures of customer or friends of people of Prima Rosa (pictured)