GOOGLE has removed malicious reviews trying to ruin the reputation of an award-winning coffee shop, thanks to the Worcester News.

It is believed the fake reviews which made nasty comments about a staff member at Franicini Cafe De Colombia were the result of a personal vendetta.

Cafe owner Francini Osorio spoke to the Worcester News about how the malicious reviews were affecting his business and the staff member's well-being.

After the story appeared in the newspaper, Google has taken down the most offensive of the reviews.

Mr Osorio said he was grateful for the Worcester News's help in removing the fake review which gave the coffee shop in Angel Place one-star.

"We did manage to get Google to delete the bad reviews and that is thanks to what the Worcester News did.

"We really, really appreciate it.

"It is an honest complaint that we put in.

"We have been getting a lot of good feedback - a couple of people gave us an opinion in a private email.
 

"It wasn't a complaint but more about the presentation of some of the guys in the cafe but all those comments are actually good because it means we can work more efficiently and better."

Francini Cafe de Colombia is the number one rated coffee shop in Worcester on TripAdvisor with a five-star rating on the review site and on Facebook.

It has also won the Best of the Best award from TripAdvisor two years in a row for the amount of positive reviews it has received.

But its Google Review rating has dropped to 4.9 because of the negative reviews which said the barista had an 'odd smell' and both advised people to visit elsewhere.

Mr Osorio previously called the comments bullying.

"It's affected my business, it is creating a really bad reputation for our business and creating a really bad problem for this kid because wherever he is going to go it might happen again.

READ MORE: Francini Cafe De Colombia hit with malicious Google reviews

"I am very concerned, I'm concerned about my business, I'm concerned about my staff as well.

"They have been trying to really put my business down the toilet with the comments they've made which obviously aren't true."