The price of a fish and chip tea may be about to rocket.
From an increase in supply costs to the knock on effect of Brexit, to rising energy prices, local chippys are taking a hit with fears that the popular Friday night takeaway could end up costing up to £10 a person.
The issue is country-wide and, according to the National Federation of Fish Friers, unless there are price increases then up to a third of fish and chip restaurants could face closure.
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The federation’s president, Andrew Crook explained that a portion of fish and chips on average costs between £7.50 and £9.50.
But, at his own shop, Skipper’s in Euxton, Lancs, prices could rise from £7.50 up to £10.
“Rising costs are really putting us under pressure and will push some out of business," he warned.
Across Manchester, chippy bosses are all facing the same struggle.
Umair Shabir, owner of the Dutch Fishmen on Manchester Road in Chorlton, described how it isn’t just the price of fish which is affecting his business and that rising inflation is causing problems across all eateries.
He said: “Every shop, forget seafood, I went to a chicken shop last night and they had a notice up saying they were putting the prices up because of inflation. Some of the fish that we use is out of stock, in general seafood is going up itself.
“The rise, it’s not like a couple of pounds, it’s quite a lot which is having a knock on effect on customers and rising prices as well.
“Obviously, what we used to get from our suppliers, they’ve put the prices up, I contacted Ben and Jerry’s and they said they’ve taken the prices up. Seafood, specifically, has gone up, I would say, 20 percent.
“In this area, [fish and chips] is already serving at round about £8 or £9, ours is £7.50.
“We only opened three months ago so it’s the knock on effect that we get if we put the prices up, we’re thinking about it but we’re in two minds.
“We have no choice but to put the prices up.”
Dutch Fishmen is still a new business in Chorlton so keeping the price competitive is very important to Mr. Shabir.
However, he is already noticing the prices of seafood increase and is only too aware of the effect this will have on other areas of his business.
He explained: “We’re still under the competitors because we’re a new business but now obviously we’re going to have to increase our prices.
“I did the shop yesterday and there’s a difference with prawns and stuff. One packet we used to get for £6.50 has gone up to £10.50.
“It’s a cost effective as well, obviously you’re increasing prices but you have to reprint your menu and reprint the flyers again and you have to do everything again and you’re putting cost into that as well, and there’s no help from the government or anything.
“The rest, I’d say has gone up by about 10%, but seafood has gone up by around 20%. I think [fish and chips] could go up to £8.95, because of supply costs.
“Some of the fish we used, has gone out of stock now because of Brexit and we’re having to use more expensive fish now. We don’t compromise on quality, but if nothing comes from the back then we’ve got no choice.”
Amjad Hussain, the manager at Jolly Rogers on Bury Old Road explained how price increases were causing difficulties for businesses.
He said: “The prices are going crazy, absolutely crazy and it’s becoming really difficult to run a shop on a customers’ wanted price because, even though we try and put prices up slowly, they’re not effective.
“It seems like every change we’re doing, it’s still leaving us with nothing and it’s a struggle. Gas prices have gone up, electric prices have gone up dramatically.
“Every week we’re hearing one or two items are going up, for example mushy peas, I’ve been told a bag of mushy peas is going to go up by £7 from £13 and it’s going to be £19 something by next week.
“It’s not even 10 percent, 12 percent, 15 percent rise, that is absolutely a jump of 50, 60 percent.
“It is impacting the trade and it’s becoming very difficult to run, even though Jolly Roger is kind of a well known brand and we are very proud of our service and quality, you can see the reviews.
“But if businesses like us are struggling, what is going to be like for the corner shops? The fish and chip shops that aren’t open for long hours?”
Jolly Rogers, where a regular fish and chips bought in store costs £7.50, already had to increase the prices of their food in May of 2021 and now, they may be forced to do it again.
Mr. Hussain said: “We ended up changing to a different brand of fish because the brand we were using, we are unable to offer those fishes to the customer because the cost is really high.
“So if we sell them, we can’t offer them to the customer at this price. We want to give the best quality food, we want to give the best quality fish, but the area we are in, people don’t like to pay too much so we have to keep the balance, we have to provide them with food.
“The prices are going up in the market for us, we cannot implement that onto our customers, we can’t put them on straight away, we have to slowly inject them to make it bearable for everyone.
“At the moment a regular fish is £5, already I was informed last week that £10 is being added onto a box of fish this week.
“I bought extra stock last week, but I will have to go back and buy at the new price and if I match that price to my selling price I will end up selling it for £6 and then that’s £1 added on to a meal.
“For a regular customer, that’s a big rise.”
Meanwhile for Anil Ozdemir, owner of Tony’s Chippy, on Oldham Road in Rochdale, the increase in price of supplies and stock mean that he will have to increase the prices on his menu to stay in business.
He said: “We would love to change the prices, we were going to change the prices, but it’s not going to be some massive jump because we don’t want to scare the customers.
“For example, £3.40 is what we’re selling our fish for at the minute, my fish should be at more than £4 at least.
“I used to buy the case [of fish] and each case I used to pay £95, but now it’s £210 or £214. So it’s more than 100 percent over, it’s jumped up.
“Energy wise, the gas used to be around £300 or £400 a month bill, now it’s £700 a bill. It’s scary at the minute.
“We want to give staff more income, but we can’t offer that.”
Taj Khan, the director at Mother Hubbard’s on Albany Way in Salford, is certain that price increases are inevitable.
He said: “The price of fish is through the roof, the drinks with the sugar tax is absolutely ridiculous and we’re just now in that dilemma of choosing to put the prices up and what effect it will have on us.
“We have to put them up, the price of fish, to give an example, we only use Atlantic haddock and that costs £1.40 a fish and it’s gone up to £3.70 a massive difference.
At Mother Hubbard’s a standard fish and chips cost £6.95, Mr. Khan explained that at their other stores, the prices have already gone up and they will have to raise the price in Salford as well.
He said: “Here now, we’ll have to do it because we’ve got no choice and we don’t compromise on the quality. We’re using the best fish on the market, haddock, and obviously with what’s going on, it’s ridiculous.
“Drinks as well, the sugar tax is killing everything. We’re only using UK coke et cetera, we won’t use the European cheaper version. So cost is a big issue at the moment.
“We’ll try and keep it what it is, but we might have to put it up to £7.95 for fish and chips so we can basically stay afloat."
Mr Khan is also worried about how customers will react if price increases do occur.
“Our reviews are very good, apart from the odd one that says ‘very nice product but a bit pricey’ at this time, I’m just wondering what they’re going to say if it goes up again.
“But you know, you go to a petrol station and have a sandwich and drink, you’re looking at £6 or £7, £8 maybe depending, here you’re getting a full meal for that.
“The cost of fish is actually through the roof and at Mother Hubbard’s we will not compromise. If people want that quality, then we have to charge them and they have to pay it.”
Finally, at the Fish Hut on Liverpool Road, a standard fish and chips costs £5.90.
The manager, Egzon Dermaku, could not confirm if or when prices would increase, however he said he could not see the dish costing £10.
He said: “We haven’t increased the price in the last three years.
“I don’t know for how long we can keep it like this, but we may have to increase the price in the future.”
