The Jewish owners of two London bakeries are engaged in a legal row over alleged unpaid loans and an aborted plan to work together.

After developing cosmetics company Space NK and the vegetarian food chains Eat and Two Veg, entrepreneur David Krantz set up the Artisan Bakery in Park Royal.

His success in the industry was matched by restaurateur Doron Zilkha who owns the Brompton Quarter Brasserie in Knightsbridge and more recently founded the Bread Boutique off the King's Road.

But the two men will not be sharing business tips any time soon, after a dispute between them has ended up in the High Court.

Mr Krantz has launched a lawsuit over claims that Mr Zilkha owes him £200,000 in unpaid loans.

However Mr Zilkha has also alleged that Mr Krantz stole staff members including the master baker.

He claims that in 2009 Mr Krantz verbally agreed to help expand the Bread Boutique across London.

Mr Zilkha told the Evening Standard that he was “dumbfounded” at the accusations and added: “We had an unwritten business agreement. He took all my staff and people and now he has launched this claim.”