Opening up a better business!
This month an award-winning fryer advises on re-designing a shop
David Henley is sparking the imagination of many in the frying trade right now with some novel design features at his shop Henley's of Wivenhoe, near to Colchester in Essex.
His wet fish counter and bespoke range raise many an eyebrow in admiration, But the way he has planned things so that the customer can see most every stage in the preparation, cooking and service of his Fish & Chips truly is bold.
And it's paying off too. David and wife Lisa took third place in this year's Fish & Chip Shop of the year competition after scooping the title of best in London & South East. Trade is booming at this take away.
However, David's story isn't a simple one of taking the concept of customer viewing (itself long-standing in the restaurant trade) and dropping it into his shop as a gimmick. Rather it's a tale of some long trade experience garnered over the years and formed into a very coherent business philosophy based on high retail standards.
To begin to understand the thinking behind Henley's we need look a little at David's past. He started working in the Fish & Chip trade at just 14 years old, helping out at his local shop. After making it a full time affair a few years later he then switched to relief managing shops and started to think about his own shop.
Raising the profile
"I was picking up ideas and techniques all the time," he says. "And this led me to work at Oysters Fish restaurant in Colchester, a Fish and Chip shop with 54-seater restaurant. When the owner left I got first refusal and bought the lease. I started to think about raising the profile of Fish and Chips, making it more than just a snack and into something that people would consider coming out to enjoy sat down with a bottle of wine. I introduced a wet fish display there among other changes, but central to the approach was that we were committed to high standards, which is essential.
"After 14 years trading and being unable to buy the lease I moved out and took on Henley's five years ago. First we redesigned from scratch, taking out all internal walls and renewing all utilities. And here too I've added a fresh wet fish counter and made a series of design changes - that allow the customer to see every aspect of their Fish and Chips, from potato peeling through to choosing a fish, lightly dusting with flour then covering in batter and on to frying and final service.
Customer confidence
"It was all about giving customers confidence to eat here and enjoy the experience. They can now see every part of the process for themselves."
However much David is a man to drive a project forward, he's wise enough to take good advice and in this respect he's grateful to his range supplier, Mallinson's of Oldham.
"We had the counter constructed so that the wet fish display could be built in. And we had the range bespoke and configured so that the customer could see the whole process.
"Middleton's were extremely helpful here, especially their MD Tony Cowell, who still comes down to the shop. This is my tip here for anybody else thinking of doing the same - do get some good, professional advice from outside. In my case I had some great advice and expertise to call on - and on occasion Tony did have to temper my ideas a bit, pointing out where I might have difficulty with gas supply or with regulations. There were times when he really needed to bring me down to earth."
The net result of all this effort from David is that the business is going from strength to strength. And he sees other valuable spin-offs that all add to the mix, adding: "First we have a working environment that's better for all the staff. People are happier and work better. I've worked in shops where some tasks meant somebody running 50 feet back and forth to fetch or do something - but here I've things running so that somebody frying behind the counter only has to take one step in any direction.
"And such an ease about things means that we really can keep up standards. If it works for staff it work for customers. The whole show is running better and that means we're better able to compete against the opposition around here. Plus if customers are looking in they want to see you operating well, they don't want to see people running about sweating and panting.
Restaurant standards
"What I've done is bring some of the better restaurant standards to the Fish ands Chip takeaway. Again though it's not just about designing the working space, it's about standards. You've got to have staff in nice white chef's wear for instance, and not just in any old white coat that somebody else has worn. And to help here I have two dedicated mangers to help keep standards high.
"It is about increasing the profile of Fish and Chips too - and most important - giving the customer confidence. After all, who would think about going in to a butcher and buying a steak without first having had a good look at it?
Customer perception
"It's all about customer perception. And daily we get feedback fro customers about how they like seeing things being prepared. Most of the time we cook to order and people sit in a small waiting area with comfortable chairs - then we'll go and talk to them. Of course, having the show running well and standards high means we have the time to go out and talk to them. And their being able to see everything being done - right from the peeling of potatoes onward, really does give them confidence - especially in these days of so many food scares. People will always prefer to see something done before their eyes as opposed to something being fetched out from the back of the shop.
"This in turn is all part of the process of improving the image of Fish and Chips. A lot of people still regard it as something smelly but you've always got to make the effort. Here for example I have proper extraction that actually electrocutes particles and deodorises. And every year, whether it needs it or not all the exterior windows and paintwork is given a new coat of paint.
"Many people in this trade are husband and wife teams on their own. And it's always too easy to use any profits from the business to increase your own standard of living and just let the business go. Some people even move in, invest then never invest again. However, I say you've always got to be investing - and you've always got to be raising standards."
