Several businesses in Spalding have lost two days takings as a result of a fire that swept through the a commercial building in the town, leaving premises damaged and without lights.
The fire started due to an electrical fault in the first-floor store room at Abbey Recruitment, according to a report in Spalding Today. A total of five businesses have been affected by the devastating fire, with one owner claiming he may have to close up for good as a result of the damage.
It's important for small firms, such as retailers, to take out business interruption insurance, to help cover the cost of lost businesses should they have to close for unforeseen reasons, such as fire or flood, for example.
The electricity meters to all five businesses were located in the storeroom where the fire started, leaving them with no electricity for two full days. One of the business owners, Samann Mahmood, who runs Nasza Biendronka, said he had to discard food after his chillers stopped working. He estimated his losses to run to around £6,000 and he didn't have insurance. “Next week it will be my last day because I close down,” he told the newspaper.
Several of the small business owners described how they are operating with small, make-shift lights, but that they are inadequate for the job. John Mumford of Spalding Antiques said that he will remain closed until the rewiring is complete, which could take up to two weeks. He is currently working under one small light, but explains that his customers do not have enough light to make their way around his shop until the work is complete.
