At a meeting tonight a Gosport Borough Council panel will look into allegations that people claiming to be from Hughmark International told cafes that they had to pay.

The investigation comes after the council received complaints from Costa Coffee and Lu Chino's coffee shop, both in the High Street.

Ivano Lucie, owner of Lu Chino's, claims workers who said they were from Hughmark, which runs the market, told him he had to pay £38.50 on Tuesdays and Saturdays when the market is on.

Mr Lucie says he paid up, but the two cafes have now complained to the council because they did not believe they had an obligation to pay.

Mr Lucie said: 'My contract stipulates that I can use the piece of land in front of my premises to put out tables and chairs.

'The whole thing has just made me feel like selling up and taking my business elsewhere.'

At the Town Centre Study Panel meeting tonight, councillors are set to look into the claims made by the two cafes and refer the item to the Community and Environment Board if they feel they need investigating further.

Should the board decide that the matter needs to be addressed when it next meets, it has the power to order the market operator not to ask shop owners for money to put out tables and chairs.

Cllr Dave Smith, leader of the Lib Dem council, said: 'My view is that if a business pays the council to put chairs and tables outside, which both Costa and Lu Chinos do, then they shouldn't have to pay twice.'

He said he expected there to be a meeting of the Community and Environment Board to investigate the situation and correct it if need be.

Lew Hughes, financial director of Hughmark International, refused to comment when contacted by The News.

rob.dabrowski @thenews.co.uk