Fish And Chips: The Owner Apologizes

A fish and chip shop owner has issued a heartfelt apology to customers after putting the price of a portion of cod and chips up to £15 but insists he had no choice as the cost of fish has soared in recent months.

Brad-Lee Navruz, who runs The Nippy Chippy in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, said he ‘feels bad’ for customers who’ve been left shocked by the new prices, but explained that the rising cost of ingredients has left him with little alternative.

The chippy is now charging £15 for a large cod and chips, and £12.50 for a standard portion—a substantial jump from the earlier price of £10.30.

Mr Navruz said most customers have been understanding about the increase, though a few have reacted with surprise when told the new price. 

‘I feel really bad for people. Times are harder as it is. For their Friday treat to go up quite a lot I do feel for them,’ he said.

‘When I say the price to them and their faces get in shock straight away I am saying sorry. There is not much I can do about it but obviously you feel for them because all they want is their Friday treat.’

The Nippy Chippy addressed the price rise on social media, explaining that small businesses like his are under tremendous economic pressure. 

Mr Navruz said that in the past, price rises were kept minimal – usually just 10 or 20p – but this time the increase has been unavoidable due to a sharp rise in fish costs.

‘This time round it has gone up from £10.30 to £12.50 for normal cod and chips and normal haddock and chips so it is a £2.20 big jump increase.

‘When they [customers] come in and they hadn’t seen the Facebook or the news they have a little bit of a shocked face as in ‘Wow it has gone up £2.20 that’s a big increase.’

The price hike comes in the wake of new fishing quotas agreed between the UK, EU and Norway, which have decreased the amount of cod and haddock that can be caught in 2025.

This year’s quota for cod has been slashed by 20 percent to 25,028 tonnes, while haddock is capped at 112,400 tonnes—down 5 percent from 2024. Officials say the reductions are vital to ensure the long-term sustainability of fish stocks.

Mr Navruz said that although he has tried offering alternative options like hake and plaice, most customers prefer to stick to cod and haddock – even with the higher price tag.

‘Cod and haddock are the number one sellers in the UK – they are really good quality fish,’ he said.

‘Rather than replace cod we tried to expand it by introducing other stuff like hake and plaice but it is just never the same and not everyone would want to go for it they would rather just stick for what they know and what they like. 

‘Especially when they are paying so much for a portion I don’t think even introducing it now would be an option really.’

There is some confusion regarding the origins of fish and chips in the United Kingdom. While chips initially gained popularity in Lancashire and Yorkshire, fried fish was first introduced and sold by Jews from the East End.

Western Sephardic Jews settling in England in the 17th century would have prepared fried fish like ‘Pescado frito’.

The Cook’s Oracle, a cookbook written by William Kitchiner and first published in 1817, introduced the potato to the British Isles in the sixteenth century. It contained the first documented recipe for what are now known as potato chips.

But it remains unknown who brought the magical combo together.

What’s crippling business is the cost of utilities and fuel which has increased the cost of all deliveries. Our UK government could slash VAT to 10 percent, but our politicians just want a majority of income back in direct and indirect taxes.

Good heavens, it’s not that difficult. Fish used to be an inexpensive supper for the working class, especially after the war when large cod were being landed and fish supplies were highly healthy. Because it was inexpensive, chippies were erected around the nation, particularly in the less affluent regions.

Naturally, quotas took effect once we entered the EU, destroying fish populations and the fishing sector in the process. The ‘cod war’ didn’t help, but it had nothing to do with the EU this time.

Fish is now premium and not cheap. Times have changed and we need to realise that these days a fish dinner is just not for the working class or the more impoverished families – those days are well and truly over.

Nowadays the equivalent is low-quality chicken that is usually undercooked, but even so, chicken shops have exploded all over the place and it’s crazy cheap.

Before they even turn a profit, many small enterprises must pay hundreds of pounds in overheads each week.  Before he even breaks even, this proprietor would need to sell a few hundred fish and chips.

The public has zero concept of just how challenging and expensive it is to run a business, and in the end, numerous shops will be forced to close, if not all of them. But of course, this is the government’s strategy – everything will be purchased online – you will be a slave to your home unless it’s a medical appointment, but even that’s been done over the phone since COVID!

They now try to get you to pay for everything by card so that people will get used to paying by card, so by the time all the businesses have disappeared, you will be so used to it, you won’t bat an eyelid.

Smaller businesses are making virtually no profit on fish which is not sustainable long term, and when I hear the word ‘sustainable’ I just cringe.

Schools are teaching our kids about sustainability, especially the rising awareness of social injustice and environmental deterioration. This is the capacity to carry on a procedure or preserve a condition without depleting resources or putting future generations in peril.

Don’t make me laugh! It’s a social construct of oppression by our governments.

In the end, a totalitarian and fascist political system will rule us, using propaganda to manipulate the people. Oh, I forgot, isn’t that already going on?