A coffee roaster has been told he cannot supply any more beans to Albury airport's Uiver Cafe, in a dramatic sequel to his business being queried at a council meeting.
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The Blessed Bean owner Jason Dowding learned shortly after midday on Friday February 16 that his products were now unwanted at the eatery.
"I just received a call from the Albury airport informing me they were no longer going to use my coffee, due to the roaster being at the airport," Mr Dowding said.
"It was just given to them from the (council) hierarchy that they were to stop immediately using the product."
Council chief executive Frank Zaknich replied to Cr Cameron at the meeting on Monday February 12 that "there is action underway to deal with that situation".
The council's service leader business and lifestyle Ambrose Glass said coffee processing was not a valid activity for the airport area.
"A coffee roasting operation in its current location is not considered to be ancillary to development at the Albury airport," Mr Glass said.
"Therefore, it is not permitted under the Albury Local Environment Plan 2010 for the airport's planning zone (SP2 Infrastructure 2 zone).
"Further, the development does not comply with the terms of the current lease agreement for the building in which it has been operating.
"We will deal directly with the leaseholder in regard to this matter."
Mr Dowding said he had been supplying coffee to the Uiver Cafe for at least three years and felt "betrayed" by the council.
He set up in the Sureflight Australia complex at the airport three weeks ago after being offered a lifeline from its managing director Jason Dawson following the need to find new premises when forced to vacate a site in Wodonga.
Mr Dowding had been running the Prophet Coffee Room on the corner of South and Hovell streets and started Hudson's cafe in Albury in 2005.
"I had to sell up the cafe and move all the equipment over to Albury," he said, revealing he had spent $15,000 to set up at the airport.
Mr Dowding said he had no contact from the council following Monday night's meeting and downplayed the impact of his roasting on the amenity of other businesses, which Cr Cameron described as adverse.
"The emissions are minimal, you would get more emissions from a wood fire and I only roast many two days a week," Mr Dowding said.
"It would be like someone cooking a pizza in a pizza oven."
Mr Dowding said the Uiver Cafe was a significant client and losing its custom would be a big blow.
"It puts me right on the edge, it's not a good situation for the viability of the business financially," he said.
"I'm scrambling to make ends meet and it's put me in a difficult situation and it's stressful as well."
Mr Dowding rejected the argument there should only be aviation businesses at the airport as "very narrow minded", adding "I'm not hurting anyone just because I don't have a sign out of the front of the business saying 'aviation'".
The owner of the building out of which Mr Dowding operates, former Albury councillor Murray King lambasted the city's action against the coffee roaster.
"I think it's bloody-mindedness, I think it's bullying, it's harassing, it's intimidating," Mr King said.
He said he had spoken to Mr Glass only once this week, on Tuesday, February 13, and been told by him then it was not his responsibility.
Mr King urged mayor Kylie King and councillors hold an extraordinary meeting to review the behaviour of the council executives, saying they were disconnected with the city given such a decision as well as the recent Australia Day non-consultation.
Mr Glass defended the council's approach to the private sector.
"Council endeavours to support businesses that are meeting their application and licensing obligations under NSW legislation, and we encourage and support all businesses operating in appropriately zoned areas of the city," he said.
