A French caf owner hopes to bridge the gap between pubs and restaurants in Brighton and Hove.

Rosario Guarneri says Le Petit Pain in Church Road, Hove, provides an alternative to smoky pubs and places aimed strictly at diners.

The patisserie and caf opens early for coffee and breakfast and provides filling lunches.

It also aims to be an inviting evening meeting place.

In September, Le Petit Pain opened a rear garden room designed to attract families.

But Brighton and Hove City Council said the room, along with toilets added at the same time, was unauthorised.

Mr Guarneri has applied for planning permission to provide a permanent extension and new kitchen.

Mr Guarneri said: "It's a garden room, like in Victorian times.

"It has proved very popular and it is a nice room for children.

"We have had up a temporary structure to test the market.

"I cannot build something if it will not work so I told the council what I was doing.

"I have now put in a planning application to start the process.

"I have had no complaints from neighbours and my councillor is on the case as well."

Mr Guarneri opened Le Petit Pain four years ago and has attracted steady business.

He said the new garden room would be a way of giving something back to his customers.

He said: "We have a mixture of different clients. We have a lot of business people.

"A lot of people come for lunch or a coffee and we treat them with respect and humanity.

"Loyalty has a price. But they are loyal to us and we are loyal back.

"People can come in to have a coffee or a beer.

"There is nothing else between the pub and the pizza restaurant, even in Kemp Town."

Friday March 05, 2004