In a case of mistaken identity, the owner of a beloved fish and chip shop in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, has found his business unfairly targeted in a boycott campaign. Marco Valente, the fourth-generation owner of Valente’s Fish and Chips, has criticised the “misinformation” that led to his shop being included in a flyer calling for a boycott of a Reform UK by-election candidate with the same surname.
The flyer, which was posted through Valente’s door on Tuesday, two days before Romano Valente was due to stand for the party in the Glenrothes West and Kinglassie vote, urged customers to “bankrupt” Romano and instead “support other fish and chip bars” that were “inclusive of everyone”. However, Marco Valente has made it clear that he and Romano are not related, and any connection could have been easily eliminated with “very little research”.
Marco, who has been running the Valente’s business, which was started by his great-grandfather in 1921, said he had posted the flyer online in case others had been distributed in the area. He emphasised that he does not bring his political beliefs into his work, stating, “Regardless of any political views, in our line of work, we’re just here to produce the best food we can and make customers happy.”
The SNP’s Zoe Hisbent ultimately won the Fife Council ward vote, with Labour finishing in third place. Marco said the response from his customers has been overwhelmingly positive, and the flyer has had no impact on his business’s trade. He added, “I was worried at first about it, but people have been quite positive. I don’t think it was a prank, I think it was intended to be harmful.”
Romano Valente, who ran his own shop with his father in the town, has been contacted for comment on the matter.
