The millionaire founder of a London plumbing firm has stepped in to help Benefits Street resident Smoggy take his 50p “doorstep shop” on to the high street.
Charlie Mullins, who set up Pimlico Plumbers, has pledged £10,000 to get budding entrepreneur Smoggy on his feet after meeting him backstage at a live TV debate.
He has also offered to act as his mentor for a year and to introduce him to friends and contacts in the business world.
Mr Mullins told the Standard he had been inspired by the determination Smoggy — real name Stephen Smith — displayed in setting up his door-to-door business selling household items for 50p a time while his neighbours on the Channel 4 series about James Turner Street in Birmingham were resigned to living on state handouts.
Mr Mullins left school at 15 to become a plumbing apprentice on the Elephant and Castle council estate in south London and his firm now has a £20 million-a-year turnover.
He said: “Smoggy really stood out as a shining light amongst the characters on James Turner Street. He displayed first-class business skills through his 50p enterprise and I admire his determination to stay off benefits and make something of himself.”
Smoggy, 38, touched hearts across the nation with his can-do spirit but he was forced to give up his fledgling business when benefits officials said he was not looking for “proper work” and scrapped his £90-a-fortnight Jobseeker’s Allowance .
He approached Mr Mullins for help at the end of a live debate which followed the final episode of the series.Father-of-two Smoggy, who came up with his business idea while serving a four-month jail sentence in 2010, said: “Charlie’s a self-made man who grew up on an estate so he understands where I’m coming from.”
The pair held their first meeting in London last week, with Smoggy getting a tour of Pimlico Plumbers, and he is now seeking high street premises in Birmingham for his own 50p shop.
