Andrew Crook says traditional fish and chip shops are struggling to keep up their footfall
The head of Britain’s fish and chip shop industry has warned that traditional chippies will disappear in five years. Andrew Crook, 50 – who is the president of the National Federation of Fish Friers – says more are having to add burgers and pizzas to their menus to survive due to lower footfall and rising costs.
There are around 11,000 fish and chip shops today, compared to a peak of 35,000 at its peak in the 1920s. Andrew – who has run his shop Skippers of Euxton for since 2007 – believes he is now one of only a handful up and down the country who still only sell the iconic British dish.
He says many now sell items like fried chicken, pizzas, and burgers to keep their takeaways running. Andrew said: “We are seeing it at an increased rate of businesses who I never thought would add the likes of burgers or loaded chips to their menus are doing so.
“I have long said we are similar to butchers. In the 1950s they had no competition but when supermarkets could do average quality meat in volume only the butchers who offered top quality produce with excellent customers service survived. I think fish and chip shops will become more niche over the next five years.”
Andrew claims menu changes have been caused by the increased prices of fish and also online ordering through sites such as Uber Eats and Just Eat. He says shops are now having to cater for families who want more than one food option.
The chip shop owner said: “I think with online ordering it is important to have choice to suit the entire family but we also need to hit a price point. We are seeing many shops diversifying as you need a menu offering that ticks the box for all of the family. But some of it is driven by having menu items that can hit a price point as we see increasing prices for fish.”
He also says they have “increased pressure” reduced fishing quotas and from supermarket ready meals which are often ultra processed but are not subject to VAT. Though Andrew doesn’t think it is all doom and gloom saying he and other shops are exploring other options – -including different types of fish like Norwegian saithe and pollock, in attempts to drive more sales.
He said: “We are exploring alternative species of fish to give consumers options which can really help in the current climate. These include Norwegian saithe, pollock, hake and even some farmed species so we hope we can get consumers to be more adventurous when ordering their fish supper.
“As such a part of the culture it is important fish and chip shops adapt. We have been around for over 160 years and I am sure we will be around for a lot longer.”
