Leighton Buzzard's MP shows a great deal of interest in town's FiverFest

Andrew Selous MP showed his support for Leighton Buzzard’s FiverFest by visiting three businesses taking place in the Totally Locally campaign on Friday.

Mr Selous paid a visit to Sizzlers Fish and Chip Shop, The Secret Courtyard and the newly-opened The Good Life Refill shop.

The South West Beds MP was pleased to support the businesses by buying their £5 offers and hearing about the £5 message that if everyone spends just £5 a week in local shops and businesses it helps to generate £7.2 billion for the local economy in Leighton Buzzard alone.

He also had the opportunity to hear more about each business owner’s journey during the pandemic and their hopes for the future.

The FiverFest campaign runs until June 26 with local high street, market and online independent businesses all taking part. You can check out all the offers at https://tinyurl.com/tllb-fiverfest-offers or alternatively follow Totally Locally Leighton Buzzard on social media. Organisers are asking the public to get behind all the businesses involved and grab a bargain and feel good at same time!

Each of the three local businesses visited by Mr Selous demonstrate the diversity provided by local traders to shoppers in the town. Each business has a different story to tell of operating during the pandemic and why supporting the FiverFest campaign is a boost for local traders.

Sizzlers Fish and Chip Shop has been trading in the town for over 25 years and is located on Waterdell off Brooklands Drive.

The business suffered a bad fire in the run up to Christmas last year, and has only just reopened. FiverFest is a small boost to getting their business back on an even footing and provides a chance to reconnect with existing and new customers.

The Secret Courtyard, run by Mark Clark, High Street Mews opened in January 2021, after moving from its original location (next door) where the business had been trading for a year - most of which time it was closed due to lockdown.

Mark provides healing therapies and also range of gifts and has plans for potentially expanding the shop at some point in the future.

Last, but not least, The Good Life Refill, owned by Heni Cloake, opened its doors as a shop for the first time on June 12, the first day of FiverFest, after initially setting up last year as a market trader.

A Totally Locally spokesman said: “Each of these businesses demonstrates the drive and resilience and personality of their owners which form the essence of Leighton Buzzard - by joining together along with over 110 other businesses taking part they are demonstrating the value and community we gain by shopping local.”