CATCHING UP WITH DAVID BLACKBURN

Posted by Stelios Theocharous January 12, 2011 - 6:35 pm

I thought it would be interesting to meet with David Blackburn after three years of trading and to see how he has been getting on. I must say David was quite ambitious when I met him for the first time I wanted to see if three years in the business has hardened or softened his ambition.

Questions for: David Blackburn

Business Name: Alfie Grimshaws

Range: Florigo

Batter: The Batter Company Natural

How many people do you employ?

Around 15 in three teams:

Front of house – Customer engagement and serving food

Back of house – Preparation and cleaning

Chefs – Cooking of all food

How long has Alfie Grimshaws been established?

We first opened our doors in September 2007 so just over three years now.

What have been the major achievements since you have been established?

Learning how to operate a Fish and Chip business and then working hard to achieve industry accreditation and start to understand the issues of sustainability.

What made you come into the industry and do you think you have achieved this goal?

A real desire to open a very traditional shop focused on a simple menu based on fish and chips,

It has been a significant education process to get customers in the Midlands to appreciate true Fish and Chips along with the limited menu.

I believe that I have built a strong customer base of people who really appreciate and understand the difference of the product we serve.

What efforts do you go too to source the best products?

Price is never our primary consideration with sourcing new products which enables us to focus on quality, ingredients and provenance.

We will question everything and ensure that we fully understand what we are buying and therefore what we are serving.

How did you come across the batter company products?

I fully understood the primary approach of the batter company to create a wholly natural product that you can trust which is ideal for the Alfie Grimshaw approach.

Why do you like using the batter company products?

I have consistently great quality products with no chemicals or extra additives.

What is the next challenge?

We have to achieve a fully sustainable and consistent supply of all core species.

You have recently come top ten in FSCOTY, tell us about your experience.

It is fantastic to be one of the top ten shops in the UK,

The greatest part of this year’s competition for me was the trip to Norway which was fantastic.

What do you love about this industry?

This is a very historical and well respected industry which has great opportunity for growth and development.

What do you hate about this industry?

Too many owners too obsessed with price and /or large portions to the detriment of quality and sustainability of supply.

After talking to David its clear to see that his ambition is paying off, he is using the best quality ingredients and having an honest and upfront approach with his customers. We wish David the best of luck for the Fish & Chip Shop of the year awards.