The business team behind a new cafe have said they are disappointed they will not able to serve alcohol when opening for the first time on Saturday.

Abby Curtis, aged 27, and Tom Kerridge, aged 34, set up Pump and Grind, primarily a coffee shop, in Great Colman Street in Ipswich.

However the pair wanted to be able to serve alcohol as well and had tried to get a premises licence in time for the shop’s opening at the weekend.

This plan was scuppered though when Suffolk Constabulary raised objections to the granting of a licence.

A petition was started to try and show support for the new venture and had gained around 900 signatures online by Friday afternoon.

Although the shop and the police are now working together to reach a compromise arrangements for the opening event had to be reworked.

Ms Curtis said she was shocked to find out about the objections as alcohol had previously been sold at the premises by another licensee.

“We were quite gobsmacked,” she said. “It was quite an extreme reaction we felt especially as it is two local people trying to create something new.”

She added the weekend opening would still go ahead and hoped they would be able to get a licence in the future.

“Obviously we can’t trade as we wanted to this weekend so we have had to alter the business model to begin with.

“But if things move forward as they seem to be we can reach a compromise.”

Ms Curtis added she and Mr Kerridge wanted to work with the police to resolve the issue and also said the support received from local councillors on how to progress the issue had been a great help.

A spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council, the licensing body for the town, said in a statement: “An application for a designated premises supervisor was submitted but was later withdrawn.”

A police spokesman said: “Suffolk Constabulary objected to the application at its initial submission but is now working closely with the venue to find an acceptable way forward for all parties.”