A popular chicken shop's much-anticipated reopening has been delayed and the future of the business is in jeopardy after an energy provider shut off the power - despite the owners chasing bills for six months.

Danny Howe set up Cheeky Clucker, on Rochester High Street, with business partner Scott Rozario, in October last year.

The duo opened just before Kent went into the second lockdown, prompting them to kick start a takeaway business until lockdown restrictions eased.

But Opus Energy soon arrived with a warrant to shut off the power and replace the meter due to an outstanding electricity bill from the previous tenant.

Danny and Scott presented the energy company representative with a copy of the lease that day and were quickly able to return to serving food.

Since then they have built a sizeable number of wing-obsessed regulars across the Medway Towns, and have been busy renovating the space ready to fully open on May 17.

But on Thursday the energy company once again shut off the electricity to the premises due to not receiving energy payments - despite the duo chasing bills from the company for months.

They are now being forced to pay an eye-watering £1,100 reconnection charge - and endure a 10-day wait which has stalled their takeaway service and renovation work.

Speaking to KentOnline, Danny said: "We've invested blood, sweat and tears, all the money we've made we've spent on growing the team and the fit out of the business.

"The reality is we live hand to mouth - for a small business where you're investing everything, there isn't enough to carry you through a ten day closure, plus all the money you make from that point there's a seven-day delay for that money to come into the business.

"Unfortunately if it is to that extent it could mean we just don't get to ever open the business."

Danny has spent the past six months contacting Opus Energy to confirm Cheeky Clucker as the new occupants so they could begin to receive bills and pay for their energy.

But despite drafting countless emails and spending hours on the phone, each time he was told it was being dealt with internally.

The 35-year-old said: "The paperwork is still not in our name, so despite chasing and chasing them, providing them documentation and information, asking them to change to energy supply into our name, they haven't done that.

"They've never sent us a bill, we haven't been able to pay - we've just been in a cyclical process for the past six months of trying to get them to accept that we're the new occupants. "

What Danny describes as an 'admin issue' has severely affected the short-term survival of the business.

Now they are unsure they will be able to reopen in time for the next easing of lockdown on May 17.

After taking to Instagram on Friday to announce the reason for their closure followers responded with outrage.

Padrino Pizza, also based on the High Street, commented: "Sorry to hear boys, gutted for you. @opus_energy have always been unreasonable hope you divorce them!"

Meanwhile Courtney Leaver wrote: "@opus_energy ridiculous uncooperative behaviour! Especially in times like this."

Despite the difficult situation, businesses across the town have been offering to lend a hand.

Fellow foodies Dead Pigeon Pub commented: "That's terrible! Sorry to hear that guys. We have a little outdoor space that we can hook up some power to if you wanted to do a pop up of some kind?"

While SMOQE, another restaurant on Rochester High Street, said: "Dunno if we can help in any way mate with cooking the wings let me know. Happy to help in any way we can."

A spokesman for Drax, which runs Opus, said: “We are very sorry that the Cheeky Clucker’s opening has been delayed as a result of the electricity supply being disconnected. Disconnection is always a last resort, but we recognise the service they received was below our usual high standards. We are working as fast as we can to reconnect the electricity supply and will put measures in place to improve our processes to ensure this does not happen again.”

Read more: All the latest news from Medway