'They could be called a monster hit': Edinburgh chippy with a twist branches out after whopping first year

After a smash success in Marchmont, #Fish are branching out and preparing their new premises in Haymarket for an early February opening.

Founder David Armstrong said that the response to their business exceeded their expectations, especially as they purchased the Marchmont site two days before the first lockdown.

He explained: “We gutted the place and did a complete renovation.

'They could be called a monster hit': Edinburgh chippy with a twist branches out after whopping first year

"We were doing it all the work ourselves as we couldn’t get anyone in.

“It was a case of learning off YouTube.”

David said that there was a lot of curiosity from the locals as they renovated the store, adding that people on their daily exercise would pop by to see the store’s progress.

Despite opening in the middle of a global pandemic, #Fish found that their all inclusive menu struck a chord with Edinburgh locals.

'They could be called a monster hit': Edinburgh chippy with a twist branches out after whopping first year

He said: “We’re not your normal fish and chip shop.

"Yes, we have traditional fish and chips, but we also have different sizes and different styles.”

The store offers not just gluten free versions of almost the whole menu, but has created its own unique vegan menu, which proved the be the biggest hit.

“We were expecting to sell 30-40 portions a week of our vegan food, and ended up selling 300-400” David explained.

'They could be called a monster hit': Edinburgh chippy with a twist branches out after whopping first year

As a chef who has worked in the industry for 30 years, including fine dining and Michelin starred restaurants, David was able to create his own vegan versions of his popular dishes.

“They could be called a monster hit. Vegan portions now make up 40% of our business.”

#Fish is preparing to open their new branch in Clifton Terrace, Haymarket on February 11.

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.