Cafe owner landed with bill for -free' work

A THIRSK caf owner has warned people to be aware of travellers offering to lay tarmac and chipping on driveways and parking areas after being landed with an unexpected bill of £15,000.

Anne Richards, who owns the Little Bistro transport caf on the southbound A1 near Bedale, was offered free chippings for her car park by a group of men who claimed that they were from the Highways Agency.

She then received a bill for the work and contacted trading standards and the police after she was threatened when she refused to pay.

"Needless to say, I haven't seen the boss or gang of workers since," she said.

"I accept that perhaps I was a little nave when I allowed the gang which were wearing high visibility yellow coats and carrying official looking clipboards on to the car park.

"But with so much highway work being carried out on this stretch of road, we are used to seeing Highways Agency people and the gang told me they were part of the work team.

"The Bistro will have to come down in 18 months due to the widening of the carriageway so I didn't want to spend enormous amounts of money, but accepted that the car park would be better for drivers, and the many elderly people who call in, with the pot holes filled in.

"But the work they have carried out is disgusting. The new surface won't last six months.

"Because I thought we were getting a good deal, we even served them full breakfast every day they were here free of charge.

"They just turned up with a roller and without treating the pot-holed surface put down the chippings - and then a man in a huge Bentley turned up demanding money for the work."

When she contacted trading standards, they visited the Bistro immediately and police have taken statements.

"Trading standards then contacted the man who said I owed him £15,000 as I had signed a contract, which I hadn't.

"I understand that this type of thing is going on up and down the country and that there is an ongoing investigation," said Mrs Richards.

"I just want other people to be aware if they are approached by the same or a similar gang.

North Yorkshire County Council trading standards officer Ruth Taylor said she was investigating similar incidents in South and West Yorkshire, and urged anyone who had experienced similar problems to contact her on 01609 768636.