May 31, 2021

Launching a new fish and chip shop or refurbishing an existing shop is no small task!

There are a host of factors that will affect the cost and determine the budget required for your project. To help, we’ve put together the three top considerations you should make…

1. The scale of the operation

Pre-refurbishment: Crosskeys Traditional Fish and Chips, Crewe

If you’re refurbishing your shop and want to reposition the range and other equipment, don’t underestimate what is involved – especially where the ducting is routed underground.

Even if you’re only moving the range by a few centimetres, this can require more extensive changes to the gas, electric supply, extraction system, counter, surrounding flooring and wall décor which should all be factored into your project costs.

For a completely new shop fit out, it is worth considering working with a specialist firm or project manager to coordinate the work of the various trades. Gas engineers, electricians, builders, tilers, glaziers, decorators, joiners, roofers and others will all be required on site at various defined points in the project before the new range is installed.

It often takes more time and money than you may initially think to coordinate the trades, so factoring this in to allow for the successful completion of your project is highly important.

2. How much space do you have?

Post-refurbishment: Crosskeys Traditional Fish and Chips, Crewe

The space available at your location will dictate the type of operation you run, especially with regard to food preparation.

A prep room requires adequate space for all the equipment and also an effective drainage system. For smaller shops you may consider buying pre-cut chips to allow for more space although bear in mind these will require refrigeration which adds to the overall costs.

At Mallinson’s, we will provide scale drawings of your shop with relevant equipment so that you can consider all options and visualise what is possible in the available space, which will allow you to get a better idea of costs.

3. How much equipment do you really need?

It’s important to determine which equipment is essential to run your shop and which items you may be able to do without. Equipment can make up a large portion of your costs so finding the best supplier that will cater to your budget is extremely beneficial.

  • Frying range – The centrepiece of any chip shop is of course the frying range. At Mallinson’s, we manufacture the full selection of bespoke frying ranges and frontages made to measure for your shop and your specific requirements. We can advise which type of range will work best for you – counter range, wall range or island range – and provide all the necessary drawings and options to help you to make the right decision. All of our ranges are installed by our Gas Safe registered engineers.
  • Storage and display fridges – The number and style of fridges you require will depend on lots of different factors, not least of course how much food you need to store. We can advise on the likely storage requirements based on your predicted sales volumes and obtain discounted prices from several manufacturers and distributors.
  • Rumblers and chippers – If you have your own prep room you will need a rumbler (peeler) and a chipper along with associated tables and trays. We can often negotiate discounts on this equipment.
  • Scraps bins – It is important to have suitable fireproof containers to dispose of any unwanted scraps as these can spontaneously combust. We manufacture these ourselves to ensure you get the right size for your requirements.
  • Utensils – We can direct you to the best distributors for all your tools and we can make removable utensil boxes to hang on the side of the range so they are within easy reach and yet out of the way.

Mallinson’s Values and Quality Promise

At Mallinson’s, we build high quality ranges at the lowest possible cost to our customers. We are proud of how reliable our frying ranges are and our customer testimonials demonstrate this too.

We know that cost is at the forefront of our customers’ minds which is why we have worked hard over the years to offer exceptional value for money when buying our ranges.

The price we quote is the price you pay – we never try to shoehorn in additional costs as we know how frustrating this can be.

Fish and chips remains the UK’s favourite takeaway – and that means exciting opportunities for new fryers coming into the business. Mapping out your project with the help of experts like Mallinson’s of Oldham will help to ensure your business’s success.

Why not take a look at our selection of bespoke British ranges on our website?