Karl Giarchi claims workers damaged a building next door to his Dino’s Cafe business during the removal of pavements as part of the CHORD works in the town.

Mr Giarchi wants to move Dino’s Cafe into the larger property – which he also owns – to expand the business, but can’t until the damage is repaired. He said when the old pavements were being lifted by a digger, granite panels on the front of his shop were broken – which will cost almost £3,800 to replace.

He told the Advertiser he has now involved a lawyer after nearly two years of waiting for the problem to be fixed.

He said: “I’m really gutted about the handling of the CHORD project. The lack of interest from Argyll and Bute Council to help the shopkeepers.

“The CHORD project had to score the concrete and lift the main part of the pavement with the digger, and take up the smaller pieces near the shops by hand.

“Instead, on my occasion, it was granite slabs – really quite nice.

“They went in with the digger and smashed one pillar, instead of realising they carried on and smashed a second, then a third leaving me with £3,800 worth of damage.” Mr Giarchi said the damage was done nearly two years ago, and it is a lot of work to fix the slabs.

He said: “These slabs have to be dismantled from the top, and started from the bottom back up.

“The head man promised me the damage on the front of my shop would be fixed in September 2013, but I have sent several letters with no acknowledgement.

“I’m at the point that during the winter, I contacted the engineers of Argyll and Bute Council and discussed it with them, several engineers were put upon CHORD to look at the management, but they were only there for the standard of the job for the council. I went to councillors too but no-one helped me.

“In January 2015, I got a lawyer involved.

“I haven’t had a word from anybody. I’ve got bad press, from local people, not caring about the hardship the shop has suffered throughout the CHORD project, and not caring enough to come in and discuss why the shop is in such a state.

“My lawyer says to me that if I start the job, I wouldn’t have such a strong case against the CHORD project.

“I’m desperate to move forward, my season is half way through already. It is heartbreaking, when you’re investing your life savings into a shop.” He added that at the time the damage was done, he was told by contractors it would be fixed.

A spokesman for Argyll and Bute Council said the ongoing issue was between the contractor and Mr Giachi.

He said: “This is a matter between the contractor and the retailer; because it is a ‘live claim’ it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.” The contractor had not responded to requests for comment as the Advertiser went to press.