Chippy up and running again after 30 years
A fish and chip shop has reopened more than 30 years after the previous owner closed its doors.
The Port Fish and Chips, in Dudley Port, has rekindled fond memories for those living nearby and old enough to have enjoyed the grub at what was Guest Fish and Chips.
New owner Manny Dhariwal believes it was last open in 1984 when the previous owner shut up shop but continued to live at the property.
Mr Dhariwal's family ran the neighbouring Spar store for 20 years and kept an eye on the old chippy, asking the owners to let them know if they ever intended to sell it.
"Sadly the old owner passed away three or four years ago," Mr Dhariwal said. "The relatives came to us and asked if we were interested in buying it so we did and set about turning it back into a fish and chip shop.
"The council gave us their full banking because they knew the site's history. In the Black Country area it is a mini landmark. Everyone knows where the old Guest chip shop was - they all say it was a great family run place."
Mr Dhariwal, aged 30, set about restoring the property to what he says is a 'traditional Black Country fish and chip shop'.
He has taken on four full-time staff and intends to employ three more people in the near future at the shop which reopened earlier this month.
Mr Dhariwal added: "So far the reaction we have had has exceeded expectations, it has been brilliant.
"My family have been in the community here for 20 years running the shop so we know a lot of the faces. When we told people we would be reopening the chip shop the response was overwhelming.
"We had hardly done any advertising but the day we opened word had clearly got around. We had to shut early but only because we had ran out of fish and potatoes.
"It is surreal for some of the customers who had not been in here since the 1980s and who wondered what had become of the property."
