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United States MP Lee Anderson gives fishing business his campaign office after ...
A Nottinghamshire businessman whose livelihood went up in smoke when his shop was gutted by a fire has been given a lifeline by his local MP. Mark Smudge's fishing shop Lockdown Tackle & Bait was destroyed by a fire that ripped through his store and neighbouring business Cabourns Carpentry in Kirkby-in-Ashfield on June 28.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service explained they could not determine the cause of the blaze, such was the damage to the two industrial units on Urban Road Business Park. However, Mr Smudge has now received a helping hand from Ashfield MP Lee Anderson.
The Reform UK politician, who was re-elected to represent his constituency earlier this month, has now handed over the keys of a building that was supposed to be a campaign office to the business owner. Reform UK had leased the shop at 30 Low Moor Road, Kirkby in Ashfield, in May, as they had hoped to use it as an Ashfield campaign office.
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These plans were dropped as the General Election was called early by former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Reform UK explained, enabling the party to let Mr Smudge relocate and reopen his business at the property. “We’ve been working closely with Lee Anderson from the Reform Party, he has been incredibly supportive," the business owner said.
"Lee has been pushing hard to secure us a spot as soon as possible so we can get back to serving our customers. I honestly can’t thank Lee Anderson enough.”
The lease ends in December of this year, but has been paid in full by Reform UK. “It is a shame that the Reform campaign shop in Ashfield never got to see the light of day due to the General Election being called early, but I am delighted that we’re now able to give it to a good cause," Lee Anderson MP said.
“It must have been incredibly heartbreaking for Mark to watch his entire livelihood go up in smoke in just 30 minutes. That is why I decided to help him in any way that I could.”
