Richard Cross who runs Petals Tea Room at Dersingham, near King's Lynn, owes money to some of some of his former staff, suppliers and the couple he bought the business from last summer.

They say they have been fobbed off with promises and excuses from Mr Cross, who left a trail of failed businesses elsewhere in the country before moving to Norfolk.

Mr Cross, 62, took over Petals on Manor Road, after buying the business from Neil and Kevin Andrews-Stott, who intended to go into semi-retirement after four successful years in Dersingham.

Neil (left) and Kevin Andrews-Stott, previous owners of Petals Team Room at Dersingham(Image: Chris Bishop)

But the couple say £16,000 remains outstanding of the £23,000 Mr Cross agreed to pay them for the business and they are now considering legal action.

"I needed the money to move on to a new venture of myself," said Neil Andrews-Stott. "He kept promising that he would pay the outstanding amount by the end of the month, then payment plans and still no payment, even with the threat of lawyers he still has done nothing."

Suppliers are also owed money including Norfolk Produce, which started supplying salad, vegetables, milk and butter to Petals in January.

Lee Martin, owner of Norfolk Produce, whose bill has not been paid(Image: Lee Martin)

Lee Martin, who owns the Wereham-based business, said it was owed just under £2,500.

"Six weeks in, we found out we hadn't been paid for the previous month," he said. "We were promised it would be paid within a few days. Then we were two months in so we stopped his account.

"Two days later I got a phone call: 'We're going to pay you so can we........

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