Espressos have ground to a halt outside a train station after thieves stole a mobile coffee stall.

Richard Lattimer and his partner Kiya Salim, 36, have been serving early morning espressos, cappuccinos and lattes to commuters outside Hove station since October.

But customers are having to do without their caffeine-fixes after thieves stole 9 Bar's business premises - an aubergine-coloured coffee cart - from outside their flat in King's Gardens on Wednesday night.

Thieves managed to break the lock which linked the stall, worth about £15,000, to Mr Lattimer's car. The 6ft stall, which had a bench, coffee machine, patisseries and a fridge inside, is the life-line for the business.

The couple, who are expecting their first baby, will have no income until it is recovered or replaced.

Mr Lattimer, 32, said: "I'm so frustrated. We're a small business and it's not like we can afford to lose money. It winds me up that people should target small businesses like this.

"We've lost this morning's earnings and all the other mornings' until we find it.

"It's such a distinctive looking vehicle and I can't imagine in a million years why someone would want to take it. It has specialist equipment inside so you'd have to know how to use it and while there are a few things they could get out, it's pretty much worthless to them."

Up to 150 customers visit the stall between 5.45am and 10.30am every weekday.

The coffee beans, blended in Cornwall, are from Guatemala and El Salvador and are covered by the Rainforest Alliance, which strives to ensure sustainability in the communities they originate from.

The patisseries are supplied by the Real Patisserie in Trafalgar Street, Brighton.

Anna O-Brien, of Poets Corner, buys a 9 Bar coffee every day for her train journey to Chichester.

She said yesterday: "I had to go without this morning but I'm more concerned for them. I can't imagine why anyone would steal it or what they would do with it."

A Sussex Police spokeswoman appealed for anyone with any information to call 0845 6070999.

Friday, March 3, 2006