'We'll help you all we can' council tells owner of fire gutted building

Fenland District Council says it is “working with the owner” of Merkur Cashino to see its Wisbech shop “brought back into use as soon as possible”.

A council spokesperson said the building was gutted and some structural damage was caused.

A fire service investigation is underway to determine the cause.

"Preliminary scaffolding has been erected to secure the structure and protect members of the public from potential issues,” said the spokesperson.

Fire damaged building remains cordoned off in Wisbech (Image: Wisbech Tweet)

Further safety inspections will follow.

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

Cllr Dee Laws, the council’s portfolio holder for planning and building control, said: “Although the business is in private ownership, we 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.”