A CIVIC leader told a shop owner that his business would be ‘blacklisted’ in a furious row over the disappearance of a council bench.

The seating owned by Whitehaven Town Council has been removed from upper King Street by the owner of Angry Boba – a bubble tea and ice cream shop.

He said the town council failed to respond to a complaint he made and the bench is ‘being stored securely’ until a resolution is found.

In a video clip that has gone viral online, Chris Hayes, mayor of Whitehaven, is seen confronting the town trader over removing the bench, angrily telling him, ‘this shop will be blacklisted’. Cllr Hayes has declined to comment on the incident.

Balazs Csomor, owner of the Angry Boba, said: “We would like to reassure the public that the bench has not been stolen or damaged, it is being stored securely, and we will return it to the hands of Whitehaven Town Council as soon as we find a resolution to our complaint.

“We're sorry that we had to go this far in order so the council reacts to our complaint. And as a side note, although the mayor's actions were surely not the correct way of dealing with this issue, it wasn't us who shared the video online.

“We have sent them a written complaint in September that we have not received a proper answer so far, our concerns were just being ignored.

 “We would like to have the same opportunities as everyone else in this town. We would like our complaint to be dealt with the official way instead of the way it was seen on the video.”

A statement from councillor Ray Gill, deputy chairman, and councillor Brian O’Kane, ward councillor, said: “The public may be aware that one of the council’s seats on upper King Street was removed over last weekend which is the second time that this has happened in recent weeks and has disappeared.

“The incident has been reported to the police. The first time was in August 2023 when a seat and litter bin were removed from outside a business on King Street and deposited further up King Street.

“The seat and bin were reinstated in their original positions after a conversation with Cumberland Council, who are the landowners.

“It should be noted that the seats on King Street, although fairly new, were replacements for old seats that had been in the same locations for decades and were spaced along King Street for the benefit of the public, especially the elderly and those with mobility issues.

“Last week, the seat was again removed from its fixings and has disappeared. The business owner of the shop that the seat was outside admitted that he had removed the seat and was storing it and would not return it unless the council agreed to move the seat elsewhere.

“The council's position is that these seats are there for the benefit of the public and the council needs to ensure that all views are taken into account, rather than taking action as the result of one viewpoint.

“Whitehaven Town Council have made supporting the town centre businesses a priority which is why we run a number of markets and events throughout the year.”

Edwin Dinsdale, who represents Whitehaven Central South on the town council, said: “Irrespective of what’s gone on, I can’t condone behaviour like Chris displayed. To threaten to blacklist one of our businesses is totally unacceptable.”

A spokesperson for Cumbria Police said: “Investigations are ongoing. We would ask that anyone who witnessed what has occurred comes forward.

“People can report online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit quoting incident number 114 of November 7, 2023. You can also phone on 101.

“Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”