Liverpool-based business Laura’s Little Bakery has criticised an email request from X Factor representatives to provide a free cake for the judges.

Laura Worthington, who owns Laura’s Little Bakery, highlighted the ITV talent show’s request for a free cake to welcome back the judges on Twitter stating that she only donates her cakes to charity, while also questioning why the show was not willing to pay and support small businesses.

The email from the X Factor to Worthington said that this “would be a big opportunity for your work to get on national TV” and offered Worthington tickets to watch its six chair challenge round of the show.

Worthington told British Baker that she received free cake requests weekly from companies as reputable as the X Factor, which left her frustrated.

“My heart sank,” she said. “I’m tired of having to constantly battle with price negotiations or requests for free cakes and believe me it happens week after week.”

Worthington, who is a mum of three, started Laura’s Little Bakery in 2010 following a trip to New York, where she approached a number of cafes with her products and received positive feedback.

She receives cake requests for weddings, christenings and corporate events. She also works with local charities and community projects including Whitechapel and Marie Curie.

X Factor responded saying: "This was an enthusiastic young member of the team trying to use their initiative in order to impress the rest of the team but it wasn’t appropriate.”

Week after week I get requests for free cake for various events in return for ’exposure’ or to do deals on my prices or something that in my opinion undervalues my time and my skill. It’s a struggle enough as it is. You’d think a company as big as this would be able to afford a cake wouldn’t you without going to a small independent business and asking for ’donations’ I’ll never bow down to this kind of thing, always willing to help out a worthy cause but this was to cater for a party of millionaires?! A plea to other cake makers too...please stop allowing this to continue. You doing free cakes for this kinda thing will not ’make’ your business I assure you. Hard graft is the key to that one. #keepstrong #standbyyourprinciples #knowyourworth

A post shared by Lauras Little Bakery (@laurasbakery78) on Jun 21, 2017 at 2:41am PDT

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