Stonehouse chippy apologises for prices as fish costs surge

A chip shop has apologised to customers for putting up prices after seeing the cost of fish surge by more than 60% in just three months.

The Nippy Chippy in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, is now charging £12.50 for a large cod and £10 for haddock.

Manager Brad Lee said customers had mostly been polite about the increase but added there had been “a few shocked faces”.

He said suppliers had blamed reduced fishing quotas in the North Sea for the rise in the wholesale price of fish, but the government explained this year’s deal maintains sustainable stock levels.

Fishing quotas are negotiated annually between the UK, EU and Norway.

This year there is a cap of 25,028 tonnes on cod, a drop of 20% compared to last year.

There is a limit of 112,400 tonnes of haddock – down 5% from 2024’s catch limit.

Mr Lee said attempts to find substitutes had not gone down well in the past.

“We’ve tried different types of white fish but we’ve not had that good feedback on them,” he said.

“If you get cod, you know what you’re getting, it’s nice and tasty, it’s fluffy, and then when you’ve got the batter over it it makes nice and flakey, but maybe it’s something we look at in the future if it goes too high.”

Andrew Crook from the National Federation of Fish Fryers explained the quotas are set by scientists who analyse the catch and agree a quota.

He said the quota is then in place for 12 months, but the current one may last two years.

“They think then maybe the quota will increase and things will get a bit more normal,” he said. “But it’s certainly a challenge at the moment.”

Mr Lee has to face the public however: “We’ve had a few shocked faces when customers come in but once you explain what’s actually happening people are understanding.

“Fish and chips is a Friday night treat mainly, it’s still the number one eaten thing in the UK. There is a crazy amount that we eat as a nation.”

After this year’s fishing quotas were agreed, Fisheries Minister Daniel Zeichner said: “This government will always stand up for the British fishing industry, which is the lifeblood of so many communities around our coastline.

“That’s why I’m pleased to have secured a deal providing the UK fleet quota for stocks including cod and haddock worth up to £310m, while maintaining sustainable levels of stocks for the long-term health of our industry.”