Tailor disputes amount owed to pavement protester

A popular city-centre tailor has endured a week-long protest outside his shop from a man claiming the business owes him £24,000.

Amit Daruka planted himself outside Gresham Blake's Bond Street store earlier this week, armed with a placard demanding money he claims the business owes him.

It has led to the tailor and his staff being subjected to threats and abuse from passers-by, with Mr Blake even being spat at by someone siding with Mr Daruka.

The designer, however, said it was not as simple as just owing the supplier a sum of money.

A statement from Gresham Blake said the firm disputes the amount and claimed Mr Daruka has not only overcharged for deliveries of shirts and sent inaccurate invoices, but also made it near-impossible to meet to discuss the problem.

The statement said: 'Mr Daruka has overcharged Gresham Blake Ltd for shirts on his invoices. Some of the orders were delivered up to five months late, costing Gresham Blake Ltd penalties and loss of major contracts.

'In total we are disputing £17,502.00 of invoices with an outstanding balance of £4,008.00. Gresham Blake Ltd has always been willing to pay once our invoicing dispute is

resolved.

'On paper Gresham Blake Ltd believe that we are right. We are willing to discuss this situation with Amit Daruka and have repeatedly asked him to do so.

"He refuses to meet and explain the differences."