According to reports, Mills had agreed to buy the Big Fish café in Hove for £255,000 from lease-holder Nick Short but then dropped the offer to £140,000.

Vegan Mills will also be taking fish off the menu.

Short told The Mirror: "I have been well and truly worked over by Heather."

"Heather [who used to eat there with her daughter and ex husband] said she'd like to buy the place if it came on the market. Last July I decided to sell so I got in touch.

"I went to see her at her home and we made a verbal agreement for £255,000. That was later agreed in writing. The arrangement changed in November. I got a letter from her lawyer saying the price had dropped to £140,000. It blamed the credit crunch and the 'current economic climate'. Her lawyer said there were other issues such as the cost of the ground rent going up and the need to renovate the windows.

"I was shocked, absolutely gutted. I'd put off other buyers who were offering the full price thinking I had a deal with Heather. There was nowhere else I could go.

"I'm gutted my staff have lost their jobs."

The current economic climate must really be biting into that £24m she got off Macca.