THE plight of a coffee seller kicked off his stall at a railway station has been raised in the House of Commons.

MP Priti Patel has been championing the cause of Nigel Clark, who has had to give up his stall at Marks Tey station after a major refurbishment.

Mr Clark, 45, from Chappel, said it would spell the end of his business because he could not afford the hike in rent from £2,500 to £7,000 in a different building.

Now he is waiting to hear if he has won a bid to National Express East Anglia for the new business and is trading from a drop-off car park.

“I am in a temporary building which is going to be replaced as it is not fit for purpose, but I am waiting to hear if I have won this bid,” he explained. “I have tendered it at the level I think is viable.

“The situation at the moment is not ideal but we are working together to make it work. I have asked for a quick response because I would have to get a new job if it was refused.”

The station is undergoing a £2.4million refurbishment, made possible by the Department for Transport handing the cash over to National Express East Anglia, which will include a new ticket office and improved waiting room on the Colchester-bound platform.

Mr Clark has been selling drinks and papers to commuters for ten years.

His notice to quit originally expired at the end of September, when he was given a two-week reprieve and then invited to submit a tender and invited to move to the drop-off car park.

Ms Patel had already raised Mr Clark’s situation in the Commons but brought it up again while discussing the overall performance of the rail company.

She said she remained “very concerned” over his treatment.

Peter Meades, a National Express East Anglia spokesman, said: “We have worked with Mr Clark to provide a positive solution to ensure his continued trading whilst the station improvement works are carried out at Marks Tey station.

“Mr Clark has submitted a proposal for the retail facility situated as part of the new station building and this will be considered in due course.”