Vacancy on Rasen council as Jennifer Bone resigns

Ms Bone is the latest councillor to resign, and has explained her reasons behind the decision.

Speaking to the Rasen Mail, Ms Bone said: “I resigned because my shop, Ministry of Happiness, is closing down and therefore my eligibility to be on the council will cease.

“I never lived in Market Rasen, my eligibility as a councillor was based on having a business in the town.”

Ms Bone says she feels that residents in the town seem to ‘relish failure’ when shops are forced to close.

She said: “My shop is closing down and the people of Market Rasen seem to relish failure of shops from the comments I have received.

“Have the people of Market Rasen considered what effect a boarded up high street will have on house prices?”

A statement has been released on the Ministry of Happiness Facebook page.

It reads: “Well it’s very quiet here today, this is why we are closing down.

“Small, local, independent shops can’t survive if no one comes.

“We will be here until January and it’s currently 25% off everything - you can’t buy cheaper online because I am selling at nearly cost price.

“I only open Saturdays so that’s only four more opening days until Christmas.”

The closure of Ministry of Happiness means there will be another empty shop in the town’s busy Queen Street.

According to Market Rasen Town Council’s clerk, Aidan Johnson resigned from the council on Sunday, October 18.

The clerk also confirmed that documents have already been put up on notice boards advertising the two vacancies.