For sale: the chip shop that's '˜a safe bet'

One thing horse racing punters don’t have to gamble on is getting a good meal at the end of the day when they visit Redcar.

Win or lose, one certain bet is that Scott Street Fisheries will be open to either celebrate or commiserate as they make their way from the racecourse into town.

Carol Claughton, who has run the fish and chip shop with her husband Stephen for the past two and a half years, says the regular meetings see a steady flow of customers.

“You have to pass the shop to get from the racecourse to the town centre, which is where most people go for a drink to either celebrate or drown their sorrows,” said Carol. “We always extend our Saturday tea hours a little bit on race days so that everyone gets what they want.”

It’s not just race-goers, of course, the Scott Street Fisheries has been serving the local community since the 1950s and is currently available for sale, offering the right investor the chance to take on a thriving business with plenty of scope for expansion.

Currently open Wednesday to Saturday, the new owners would have the opportunity to extend the opening hours and the menu should they want to.

Scott Street Fisheries has stuck with the traditional chip shop menu including fish, fishcakes and sausages, as well as smaller portion menus for those with smaller appetites. Everything is cooked in the best beef dripping, including chips from locally sourced potatoes.

Carol added: “Unfortunately, we need to move out of the area due to family circumstances, but this is a lovely little business that will always do well.

“It started off as a wooden hut in the middle of a busy residential area, eventually being housed in the building it’s in today. It has always been busy and when we took it over the former owner, who had to give it up because of ill health, was worried that she hadn’t been able to keep it going and that it wouldn’t survive, but we have a very loyal customer base and it was easy to get it back on its feet.

“Although we have stuck to three and a half days opening, that’s simply because that’s what suits us best, and I’m sure it would be just as busy on the other days, if somebody chose to extend the hours.”

The sale of Scott Street Fisheries is being handled by Ernest Wilson, the leading business sales agent. Established in 1956, Ernest Wilson assists clients with the purchase and sale of businesses, offering agency services, finance options and support throughout the sale process.

Find out more by calling 0113 238 2900 or visit the website www.ernest-wilson.co.uk