The business at No 36 St James's Street makes no bones about what they sell. They are a Fish Bar. A large sign outside the premises says so. They also advertise Southern Fried Chicken and Pie and Mash.
Ever willing to sacrifice myself for my readership, I went there this lunchtime to buy a portion of chips. I had these wrapped, without salt or 'condiment'. I had a choice of what used to pass as 'Malt' or a see-through one called 'Onion Flavour' but chose neither. The lack of seasoning was because I had a bit of curry sauce left over from last night's cooking and I fancied finishing it up on top of some chips when I got back.
The small portion (which is more than ample) cost £1.30. I could have had a chip roll for the same price, but thought that too much bread might not be good for me. On another visit, mushy peas would have set me back £1, one of their assorted pies £1.50 (patrons of Manze's might care to note) and a small cod would have cost £3.00. They sell a large one for £4.30.
Wanting to get the friendly chap behind the counter to tell me what things are really like at the Fish Bar, I considered my opening gambit. With a farmer, this might be the weather, the idiocy of DEFRA or the history and state of the potato futures market. With the owner of a small business, the best ice breaker is always to ask about credit. Cash flow and not getting paid quickly enough is meat and drink to the small entrepreneur.
There is a sign on the wall behind the yellow counter which most customers take to be a joke: "Please don't ask for credit as a refusal often offends". It never is. Putting my cash in clear view, I broach the topic. How many people ask you for credit every day?. We were off, straight out of the trap. The fryer in front of me was joined by his partner, whose voice got faster and faster as he competed with his colleague in bemoaning the little bastards on drugs who come in 'five times a day' wanting things without paying.
They soon caught up with the hare. Onion Flavoured Condiment becoming a point of emphasis - it had recently been used as a missile by one of the feral creatures, who live (they gestured) off that way. They took it as understood that way was some estate. 'Ganga and drugs' are a big problem in the world of the Fish Bar, with people openly puffing away and then getting in fights with each other outside, if not abusing the staff. I have never seen this myself, but I have to take a man's word. The gamblers are quiet (gesture of the head to Coral's next door) - its the drugs. Too many drugs.
We then got onto the other small business favourite - competition. The problem round here is there is 'too much competition'. Here he has a point, as there are a few take-aways, chicken wings, pizzas and kebabs for sale on St James's Street, though only one Fish Bar, it's fair to say. The nearest chippy of note is the fabled Bonner's on the corner of Northcote Road and Pretoria Avenue, and the one after that would be Captain's at the top of the High Street. 'We can't make money' came the final remark, as my parcel of chips crossed the counter and I was given my change. I enjoyed my lunch, by the way.
playwrite27
Pie and Mash? Mushy peas? Your "chippy's are a lot different than our "fish fry" places (what New York stater's call a chippy), where the standard menu is "fish and chips--lightly breaded and fried chunks of (usually) haddock fillets (tho' some places also sell cod and/or catfish), served with fries (chips) and coleslaw. Other menu choices (at my favourite American chippy, "Ted's Fish Fry," include a long, delicately breaded and fried haddock filet, served on a hot dog roll with your choice of "chili," tartar, or slightly hot cocktail sauce--a tomato based sauce with horseraddish in it. They make their own chilli and tarar sauces--the "chili" sauce is made from mixing sweet pickle relish, with a few drops of lemon juice, with ketchup. The tartar sauce is similar, only with mayonnaise, instead of ketchup.
Other items are hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, "clam boats" (breaded fried clam strips served on a hot dog roll , often accompanied by tartar sauce), fried chicken tender, shrimp and clam dinners (similar to the "fish and chips," but with shrimp or clams instead), and sausage and peppers (italian sweet sausage, served with fried peppers and onions on a hot dog roll), and Philadephia sandwich steaks (very thin slices of shaved beef, grilled with onions, often topped with melted cheese, and served piping hot on a long, thick roll).
Popular beverages at Ted's include, besides soft drinks, fruit punch and shakes--available in chocoloate, vanilla, strawberry or their famous coffee flavoured shake, which was my childhood favourite. Ted's has been in business in Watervliet NY, since I was a toddler, in the early 1960's, and they still make their fish the same today, as they did then. Their rival "fish fry" in that small city, "Galligers," went out of business about 15 or 20 years ago, after being open for some 25 years, but Ted's is still going strong, with several shops in operation in three other locations.