By Chris Wright
Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny has pledged a considerable amount of money to help save an accordion factory in his hometown from having to close down.
According to the Guardian, Koscielny is part of an investment group which has donated €600,000 (approx. £495,000) to the Maugein accordion factory in the defender’s home-town of Tulle, which is located in the French department of Correze.
Apparently Maugein’s handmade accordions are regarded as a “symbol of the region’s industrial heritage,” at least according to Bernard Combes, the mayor of Tulles – but he would say that, wouldn’t he?
The distinguished Maugein company was founded in 1919 but has recently been threatened with closure as the accordion market is currently flooded with cheapo knock-offs from China and Eastern Europe.
(Via Guardian)