COUNCILLORS were left red-faced after 34 invoices demanding a total of more than £2.5m were sent to a new cafe.

On October 7, the postman delivered a mountain of 35 letters to the Tudor Barn cafe in Well Hall Pleasaunce, 34 of which were from the same sender - Greenwich Council.

Each letter contained a red reminder notice demanding more than £70,000 from the horrified managers.

Director Suzie Bailey explained: “I was really very concerned. This is a new family business and we have spent a small fortune refurbishing the Tudor Barn as a smart restaurant, cafe and wedding venue.

“At this stage every invoice is a challenge but this was astonishing.

“I don’t know how the council could make such a goof.”

The cafe opened at the pleasaunce in Eltham on August 28 under a 21-year lease from the council.

Its lease allows it to run rent-free for the first six months so the business, based in a 16th Century Grade II-listed building, can be properly established.

Director of finance for the cafe Marcus Luck said: “To get all these blooming letters is ridiculous but we can see the funny side of this.”

Just one week earlier, the cafe was sent an invoice demanding rent but after the managers contacted Greenwich Council to explain the situation, they thought the matter had been resolved.

Ms Bailey said: “It defies explanation.

“It must have cost a small fortune in postage and goodness only knows how many person hours it will take to clear it up at the council - it took us half an hour just to open the letters. “ A spokesman for Greenwich Council said: "The multiple letters sent out were the result of a computer error and this has been explained to the tenants."