Published at 08:37, Friday, 28 May 2010

A chip shop in Longtown has been given the Prime Minister’s seal of approval.

Christine Forster, left and Margaret Gardner with the letter

• Video: David Cameron and the Border Cod

David Cameron stopped off at the Border Cod on the last day of his election campaign to buy 32 fish suppers for his team.

Impressed by the food, he was heard telling local people and fellow candidates about how much he enjoyed it.

And this week the PM wrote to the manager Margaret Gardner, Christine Forster, and the rest of the staff to thank them, saying the takeaway food was “one of the best meals” he ate during the whole election campaign.

Mrs Gardner now plans to put up a plaque to commemorate the visit and is thanking Mr Cameron for a boost in trade, with food lovers travelling from across the county to the English Street chippy on the PM’s recommendation.

The Border Cod received the personal letter from the new political head of the country on Saturday.

The typed letter – which has now been mounted on the wall of the chippy pictures of the visit – is signed by Mr Cameron and says: “Thank you for welcoming me to the Border Cod on the last day of the general election
campaign. It really was a welcome break and one of the best meals I ate during the election campaign.”

And before signing the letter the PM made the hand-written addition “and it was delicious”.

Mrs Gardner told The Cumberland News: “We are all over the moon to have such a senior politician visit our shop. It is the talk of the town.”

She added: “We have been really busy since the visit – I think people saw us on TV.”

Mr Cameron stopped off in Cumbria on May 5.

Three hours before his visit, two of Mr Cameron’s representatives visited the Border Cod to make arrangements.

Mr Cameron arrived at 8.45pm and with him came the world’s journalists, photographers and TV cameras.

Mrs Gardner said: “I was excited but not nervous. Mr Cameron was a very nice man. He asked me what we put in the batter but I told him it was a secret!

“He also tipped the girls £10.”

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk