Chippies caught between a cod and a hard place

Battered but not beaten – Sturminster Fish Bar’s owners on loyalty, resilience and why they’re determined to stay part of the town’s story

As highlighted by a recent Daily Mail article, Britain’s fish and chip shops are facing unprecedented pressures. Costs have soared, customer spending has dropped, and the industry – long a cornerstone of British culture – is under threat. Here in North Dorset, the story is no different. At Sturminster Newton’s much-loved Sturminster Fish Bar, owners Lee and Yoyo are doing everything they can to keep serving the town without passing spiralling costs onto their customers.
Lee and Yoyo, who moved to the UK from Malaysia more than 20 years ago, have run the Sturminster Fish Bar for nearly eight years. With two young children and deep roots in the town, they are fiercely committed to their community – but they are also facing the toughest trading conditions they have ever known.
‘It’s getting harder every year,’ Lee says. ‘Everything we buy – fish, potatoes, oil – it’s all gone up so much. But we can’t just raise our prices to match. People don’t have the money anymore.’
The numbers are stark. In the past year, the price of a 25kg bag of potatoes – the bedrock of any chip shop – has leapt from £5 to as high as £30 at its peak. Although costs have stabilised slightly, they remain three times higher than they were just two years ago.
Fish prices tell a similar story. A box of cod that once cost £150 now approaches £300.

Walking the tightrope
‘Unitl recently we offered a large cod and three sizes of chips,’ Lee says. ‘But it’s too expensive now. We’re focusing on regular portions, trying to keep it affordable for families.’
It’s a balancing act – one which Lee and Yoyo approach with the needs of their customers front of mind. Rather than drastically raising menu prices, they have chosen to adapt portion sizes and quietly adjust the offering, hoping that by making smaller changes, customers will continue to support them without feeling priced out.
‘We could have put prices up by two or three pounds on everything,’ Lee says. ‘But then people might stop coming. We don’t want that. We want to be fair to everyone.’
One such change is that Lee will no longer serve standard or large portions of chips. It’s not a decision Lee has taken lightly. ‘Often, people order one large chips and share it between three people,’ he says. ‘But I’m already taking a loss on the fish – I can’t afford to lose out on the chips as well.’
By limiting portions to a small – still generous, but only enough for one – Lee hopes customers will each buy what they need, allowing the Fish Bar to cover its costs without sharp price rises. ‘If everyone just buys their own, it spreads the cost fairly. We’re trying to keep things going without hurting anyone’s pocket too much.’
The impact of inflation is not just on supplies. Rising wages – including the recent mandatory increases to the minimum wage – add further strain. ‘Our wage bill went up by more than £100 a week,’ Lee says. ‘At the same time, customers are spending less. They still come, but instead of a big order, maybe it’s just a couple of portions now.’
This experience echoes the national trend. Chip shops across the country are finding that although footfall remains steady, average customer spend has dropped significantly. Household budgets are stretched tighter than ever in 2025, and what was once seen as a cheap treat has become a considered expense.

More than a chip shop
It’s a particularly bitter blow for shops like Sturminster Fish Bar, which have become key parts of their community. As well as serving food, Lee and Yoyo provide vital first jobs for many young people in the town – currently the couple employ five teenagers and young adults who might otherwise struggle to find work locally.
‘There aren’t many jobs for young people here, especially after school hours,’ Lee says. ‘We try to give them a start, to help them learn to work. It’s an important skill.’
But with margins squeezed ever tighter, even these opportunities could be at risk if the situation does not improve. Lee has had to think hard about how to keep the doors open without making cuts that would hurt either his customers or his staff.
‘I just want to be fair,’ he says. ‘If everyone shares a little bit – smaller portions, small changes – then nobody has to carry all the burden alone.’
It’s an attitude that has earned Sturminster Fish Bar loyal customers over the years. The quality of their food – consistently praised online and among locals – is matched by the warmth of their service. Despite winning accolades like Best Fish and Chip Shop in Dorset in customer polls, Lee and Yoyo have never sought awards or national recognition. Their focus has always been on looking after their customers – and their staff.
‘I think of them like family,’ Lee says of his young employees. ‘We sit down together, talk together, have staff outings. I want them to feel they belong, not just that they’re working for me.’

Part of the town
It’s a philosophy that has become increasingly rare in a tough business climate. Many fish and chip shops around the country have already closed their doors, unable to weather the triple blow of rising costs, falling customer spend and labour pressures.
Lee hopes to avoid becoming another casualty. He’s kept prices as low as possible, and made those careful tweaks to his menu, all designed to make a fish and chip meal remain an affordable treat rather than a luxury.
‘After COVID, everything changed,’ he says. ‘People don’t have the spare money they used to. When you’ve paid your bills, your mortgage, there’s not much left. We understand that.’
Yet amid the challenges, there is quiet pride. ‘We love it here,’ says Yoyo. ‘The town, the people – this is home.’
If communities across Dorset want to keep their local chip shops alive, supporting them through tough times may be more vital than ever. As Lee puts it: ‘We’re not thinking about making big money. We’re just thinking about staying here, being part of the town.’

Sturminster Fish Bar is open Tues to Saturday,
12-2pm and 5-9pm – 01258 472491
49 Bridge St, Sturminster Newton DT10 1BZ