HE may only have been in charge for a few days but the new owner of a city centre coffee shop is already causing a stir.

Shaun Kelly took over at the Piazza coffee shop in the Guildhall Shopping Centre earlier this month.

One of his first acts has been to create a wooden seating area in Market Square, which also serves as a wheelchair entrance.

But following complaints, the city council is now investigating whether it needs to be removed due to lack of planning permission. A city council spokesman said: "We have had complaints. We think it may need planning consent and are investigating."

Mr Kelly said he was surprised to learn of the investigation as he did not believe he needed to go through the planning process. He said: "As the decking is not a permanent structure, we do not need planning permission. We asked the shopping centre and they gave permission.

"The previous wheelchair access to the restaurant was dangerous and someone had fallen over.

"The decking provides a new wheelchair access. We are the only café in the Guildhall that is completely wheelchair accessible.

"The developments are not finished. We have plans for an umbrella to go over the decking, for which we will be applying for permission in about a month, and then we will run a Polish restaurant in the evening — tapping into the massive Polish community here."

He said the surrounding businesses and Guildhall management had been nothing more than supportive, adding: "We have also been granted a licence to sell alcohol in the restaurant so people can enjoy wine with their meal.

Mr Kelly bought the decking on Thursday and had it in place by Friday.

"People absolutely love it," he said. "Before, this part of the shopping centre was a dead area. It gives somewhere for people to read a book or chat.

"It also helps the child stroller crew as they can put their buggies on it. I am going to put a TV outside showing Thomas the Tank Engine or something.

"It's going to be a nice place where you can get a reasonably-priced meal."

Guildhall Shopping Centre manager Andrew McNeilly confirmed that the landlords had given their approval for the decking area, adding: "In the short time that Mr Kelly has owned the premises he has done a huge amount of work to that unit.

"He's spent an awful lot of time there talking to his customers and the premises have been busier than they have been in the last nine or 10 months.

"The feedback I've had from customers and other tenants is very positive."