Battered chip shops hit back

Would-be friers learn their trade

The UK's fish and chip shops are fighting back against claims that they're an endangered species.

The industry has taken a battering in the wake of fears that stocks of cod are reaching dangerously low levels.

In the past 30 years, North Sea landings have fallen from 340,000 to 41,000.

The European Union is talking about an 80% reduction in the quotas for cod and haddock.

That's led to headlines saying fish could soon be off the menu.

Frozen at sea

But chip shops say reports of their demise have been exaggerated.

"More than 60% of the fish used in shops comes from Icelandic and Norwegian waters and is frozen at sea.

Ann Kirk: Problem has been exaggerated

"There aren't the same problems in these areas with fish stocks," says Ann Kirk, general secretary of the National Federation of Fish Friers.

But while chip shops are working hard to persuade their customers to keep coming, they are not complacent about the threat to the whole sector.

The Federation is lobbying with the fishing, processing and fishmongering industries to ensure that, when North and Irish Sea cod stocks become viable again, the sector is sustainable.

Fish and chips still stakes a strong claim as the country's most popular dish.

Industrial heritage

More than 8,500 shops serve 250 million meals a year. Turnover for the industry is £650m.

But while the number of shops has shrunk from a pre-war figure of 30,000, they are still producing the same quantity.

The industry is worth £650m

"Most of the shops were in terraced accommodation as part of the industrial heritage of the mills," says the Federation's training co-ordinator, Arthur Parrington.

"As they renewed the housing, they knocked down dozens and dozens of shops."

But fish friers use nearly as many potatoes as they did then - 500,000 tonnes a year - and while the quantity of fish has halved to about 50,000 tonnes, other products such as burgers and sausages are now available.

The more adventurous offer fried Christmas pudding and mince pies, and then there's that Scottish delicacy, fried Mars bars.

About one in 10 chip shops changes hands every year, and the sector is changing too.

Average age

"We're seeing a lot more young people coming into the industry," says Ann Kirk.

"The average age used to be 45-50 but it's coming down to late 20s and early 30s, probably because more people want to earn money for themselves."

Most people take over an existing business. Starting from scratch can cost more than £60,000.

Tara Chana from Bedford is opening a fish shop in an empty unit next to his supermarket.

"In the area where I live there's nothing at all," he says. "It's about one-and-a-half miles to the nearest fish and chip shop."

Paresh Patel from Ipswich turned to fish frying for a career change.

Steady living

"I decided I wanted to come out of the transport and shipping industry and be in charge of my own future," he explains.

"This is an industry that's always in demand.I don't want to make a million out of it, I just want to make steady living."

Arthur: Each area can have different requirements

Both men have been on a three-day training course at the Federation's Leeds HQ. About a dozen recruits are trained each month.

As well as frying skills, they are taught about employment law, buying raw materials, customer service and marketing.

"We have everything from people coming into catering for the first time to experienced chefs unfamiliar with deep frying techniques," says Arthur Parrington.

"They need to be aware that different parts of the country offer different sizes of fish, so we have to be able to teach them the right techniques for preparing the different sizes.

"It's all about producing a crisp end product with a low fat content."

The number of shops has stayed constant for the past couple of decades, and Ann Kirk believes they will survive this cod crisis as they have others.

"It's a cash business and fish and chips are being marketed better now, to get away from the image of backstreet shops," she says.

""With a good clean shop, pleasant staff and a good product, you'll have a good business."