Council offers support following Wisbech shop blaze

Fenland District Council is working with the owner of a Wisbech building damaged by fire to help ensure it can be brought back into use as soon as possible.

A severe blaze broke out at Merkur Cashino, a Listed building in Wisbech Market Place, on Friday evening, (April 22). The building was gutted, and some structural damage was caused.

Thankfully no-one was injured, and a fire service investigation is under-way to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Council’s Building Control provider, CNC, attended the scene to assess whether the building was safe. Preliminary scaffolding has been erected to secure the structure and protect members of the public from potential issues, while further safety inspections are carried out. Some unsafe material has also been removed.

Council officers are also in talks with the tenants and owner of the building to provide support as assessments by their insurance company continue.

Councillor Dee Laws, the council’s portfolio holder responsible for planning and building control, said: “The Council was sad to see the damage caused by the fire in Wisbech Market Place but was pleased to hear that no injuries were caused.

“Although the business is in private ownership, the Council immediately reached out to the tenants and freeholder to offer support. We will continue to work with them to help them resolve and recover from this incident and ensure that this prominent Listed building is suitably refurbished and brought back into use as soon as possible.”