Through my work for our trade association the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) and the British Takeaway Campaign (BTC) I have been very involved in the Covid-19 Crisis and working with them and other fish and chip businesses to find safe ways of operating. This is a new situation for everybody and it was so important we all worked together to get going again.
We had some amazing work performed by The Chesterford Group on Health and Safety, they operate around 40 fish and chip shops in the south and were unbelievably instrumental in getting the fish and chip industry open. We were also helped by Krispies in Exmouth who discovered the click and collect system with automated time slots. These two pieces of the jigsaw puzzle were the reason we could open.
Skippers were put forward by the BTC to be consulted by the Department for Business, Environment and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) during lockdown as one of the 250 businesses and trade associations they consulted. The lessons we had learned from our industry friends meant we could pass these on to government and these made it into the guidance issued by BEIS and hopefully have protected many employees, customers and businesses up and down the country,.
I have been in fish and chips for 21 years and currently hold the position on President of the National Federation of Fish Friers