A CAFE in the centre of Haddington has fallen foul of East Lothian Council planners – just weeks after opening its doors.

Rocksalt Café opened on Haddington High Street in premises previously occupied by Caffé Luca.

Its exterior was then repainted grey with a blue ‘border’ – it had previously been a shade of red with black around the windows.

Now, the local authority has informed the business that the fresh coat of paint and new signs require planning permission, given the building’s listed status and its location within a conservation area.

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council told the Courier: “We have investigated the matter and established that the repainting of the shopfront is a breach of planning control.

“Earlier this week, applications were submitted seeking retrospective planning permission and listed building consent for the repainting.

“Those applications have been invalidated, and we have requested further information to enable them to be registered as valid applications.”

Jem Eroglu, from the business, said they would follow the legal requirements.