Owner of Wales’s Best Fish and Chip Shop Opens a Second Restaurant with Support from CCBC

Fresh off their success in the UK National Fish & Chips Awards 2023, where they have been recognised as the best in Wales and 2^nd place in the whole of the UK, the owner of Fish Kitchen 1854 is about to launch his brand-new fish & chip restaurant in Bargoed.

Fish Kitchen 1854 was named as such in recognition of the local heritage of Maesycwmmer and the opening of the viaduct just a stone’s throw from the fish & chip shop. The new fish & chip restaurant in Bargoed follows a similar theme and is called Fish Kitchen 1931, taking the date from when the very first fish & chip shop, Conti, opened on the site in 1931.

The final touches are under way to create a fantastic, themed experience for visitors celebrating the local heritage and the coalmines that once lay everywhere around the South Wales valleys. The restaurant has undergone a complete refurbishment with a new mezzanine floor created above the kitchen. The restaurant area will have table booths, designed in theme of a viaduct, with each one being named after the local coalmines. The history of the town will also be celebrated with each having screens regaling the heritage and history of the area.

Plans are in place to make it a ‘must visit’ destination offering quality, value for money and a fun experience. Owner, Lee Humphreys is very much looking forward to highlighting what Bargoed has to offer, with plans to provide more than the traditional fayre most fish and chip shops have. There are also plans to apply for a licence to serve alcohol on the premises and provide high end fish delicacies.

Fish Kitchen 1931 received two grants from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, amounting to £50,000. This grant was dedicated towards Fish Kitchen 1931 through Caerphilly County Borough Council’s intervention of UKSPF funds. They also received a further £10,000 grant from Caerphilly Enterprise Fund and a £25,000 grant from the Transforming Towns Fund.

The new venture will create between 20 and 30 jobs in various roles throughout the business and plans are in place to work closely with local suppliers and businesses. Particular attention was spent to using and resourcing local businesses and tradespeople to undertake the refurbishment. With the last finishing touches being added, local interest is very keen, and they are counting down the days to its planned opening on the 29^{th of} May.

Owner, Lee Humphreys, said “I’m very excited to open this new concept, giving Bargoed a historic fish and chips experience. Thanks to the support from Caerphilly Council’s business team, I will be able to create new jobs and recruit local people as well as promoting the local heritage. Without such support, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve our plan. The Council have been instrumental in helping to create this new business.”

Cllr Jamie Pritchard, Cabinet member for Prosperity, Regeneration & Climate Change, commented “It was great to talk to Lee about the plans he has for The Fish Kitchen. We’ve been delighted to work closely with him by offering financial assistance, which will help towards to creating such a brilliant new venture”.

Credit to Caerphilly County Borough Council for Supplying the above post.