A hot food stall owner is back behind the griddle cooking up tasty bacon butties and sausage sandwiches for his loyal customers after recovering from a severe heart attack.
Mark Clements, who operates the Hot Tram Roll in Keswick’s Central car park, went into cardiac arrest while out walking his dog at the end of March and had to be rushed by ambulance to the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, for life saving surgery.
“I had just got home in the afternoon and I was taking the dog round the block when a chest pain came on,” said Mark. “I got home and took my GTN (glyceryl trinitrate) spray but it just got worse,” he added.
His wife phoned an ambulance and he was blue lighted to Carlisle and into surgery to have a stent fitted because an artery was blocked.
Mark is no stranger to heart problems.
Just over three years ago, he suffered a heart attack when he was 47. At the time he was a mechanic but decided on a change of life, lost weight, and took over Hot Tram Roll 18 months ago.
Mark spent a week at home recovering but came back to work last week.
“I have been told I must take it easy but I like to keep busy,” he said.
During lockdown he has continued trading most days but Mark admits business has not been booming. He says he has kept going with loyal locals popping along as well as bikers stopping by for treats and refreshments. It has also given him the opportunity to catch up with the local gossip.
Mark sells cooked sandwiches and rolls with various fillings, including bacon, burgers, eggs, cheese and steak Canadians but the most popular filling by far is his Cumberland sausage curls.
The most unusual product he sells is Spam, which seems to be growing in popularity again, but Mark says that sales can be a bit hit and miss.
The Hot Tram Roll is usually open six days a week but Mark currently finishes after the lunch trade and goes home.
Mark added: “It will be good to get back to normal and see the bikers who visit on a regular basis during the summer months.”
