The Little Sister Making A Big Impact

Husband and wife Dan Meredith and Sophie McLeod have become firm fixtures in the Oldfield Park community of Bath since taking over The Oyster Shell in 2022. A little sister to the well-known Scallop Shell in the city centre, owned by chef and restaurateur Garry Rosser, the fish and chip takeaway shares the same standards and style but has a distinctly local feel.

The Oyster Shell sits on a street lined with everyday shops, including a butcher, fishmonger and post office. While most customers are residents, with the occasional tourist from the nearby, more affordable out-of-town B&Bs, it is very much part of local life.

Dan had spent five years working under Garry as sous chef at The Scallop Shell before deciding it was time to be his own boss. Trained as a chef and with experience in gastro pubs, he was ready for the challenge when Garry offered him the opportunity to take over The Oyster Shell.

“At the start, it was intimidating,” says Dan. “But I’d already been trusted to run a 100-cover restaurant for Garry, so once I had a bit of belief in myself, I knew I could do it. The hardest part wasn’t the cooking, it was learning the business side, the paperwork, the ordering, all the things that come with ownership.”

Just like its big sister, cod and haddock are staples here, but Dan keeps things simple by offering a single portion size of around seven to eight ounces.

“We try and keep the price steady,” he says. “I only put them up for the first time last month, after three years. Everyone’s feeling it at the moment, so it’s about keeping quality where it should be while still being affordable.”

Everything is cooked fresh to order, evident by the lack of a hot box on the frying range. “It’s not the way we do things,” explains Dan. “Once upon a time, when margins were better, you could afford to cook 10 fish and hope you sell them. Now, if you don't sell them, that's eating into your profits, so you're better off having full transparency with a customer and saying it will be at least 10 minutes because we are cooking it fresh to order.”

While fish and chips remain the heart of the business, Dan has slowly added more options to widen the customer base. Specials like fresh hake and plaice appear when prices allow, while a grill built into the frying range means burgers are on the menu too, made with beef from the local butcher.

“Customers told us they liked our fish and chips but had to go elsewhere for burgers for the kids,” he says. “Now they can get it all here. And it’s a proper burger made from 98% beef, the rest is seasoning.”

The biggest surprise hit has been the vegan options, which have been driving sales since Dan added them two years ago. “They have made a huge difference to sales,” he explains. “Before, vegans would come in and just get a bag of chips. Now they're getting a full-on meal. We do a homemade chickpea fritter with sweet potato, carrot, spices and breadcrumbs. And then there’s tofish – tofu seasoned, wrapped in nori seaweed to mimic skin, and fried in batter in a separate fryer.

“It’s been massive with students. They come in groups, so even if only one or two are vegan, everyone comes here.”

Dan has also introduced delivery with a branded car that doubles as advertising. “It helps drive walk-in orders too as it’s going around Bath all day so people see it and realise we’re just down the road,” he says.

Online ordering has been made simpler too, with customers no longer needing to set up accounts. “Some customers don’t want to hand over details, and I understand that, they just want fish and chips,” Dan explains. “Now it’s much more user-friendly and we find our Friday slots start filling up from Tuesday. We even get people placing orders at six in the morning.”

Much of the menu is made from scratch, including fishcakes, mushy peas, mayonnaise and gravy. The one exception is curry sauce, which Dan buys from Ceres.

“At first, I couldn’t believe Garry when he said he didn’t make his own. After everything he taught me about making things from scratch with the best ingredients! I was stubborn about it at first, but Garry said take a bag and try it. When I did, I was like, ‘Wow, he was right’. The balance was spot on. Not a harsh Madras, not that powdery yellow stuff you see elsewhere. Just delicate, with a little kick at the end. And it saves so much time as we used to spend five hours peeling, cooking and blending. Now we make batches of 40 litres and get on with everything else.

“I've always been quite stuck in my ways, but now I’m of the opinion that if someone can do something better than I can, which Ceres clearly does with its curry sauce, I'll use it!”

Another mainstay is Ceres Natural Batter Mix, which Dan brought with him from his time at The Scallop Shell.

“It’s the best batter I’ve used,” he says. “The taste is superior to anything else and I haven't found a batter yet that comes anywhere close. The taste doesn’t mask the fish, it adds to it. I know it's called the Natural Batter Mix, but it is the best way to describe it. You get a natural crisp coating, and it’s consistent every time. And it mixes easily too – no lumps – and it holds together well.”

Dan tweaks it only by adding beer for extra flavour. “We pre-mix beer and water so when we need more batter, it’s just a case of adding the batter mix. Simple.”

Appreciating Ceres because it’s a company that doesn’t cut corners, Dan adds: “Ceres get it. They understand what operators are dealing with. Some companies change recipes or shave things to save money, but Ceres keeps everything the same and that’s important. If the price has to go up, it has to go up, that’s the way it is.”

Dan is always experimenting with new products and procedures in a bid to improve the customer experience. “If something takes the batter up a level, I’ll use it," he says. "If people are spending their hard-earned money with us, I want them to walk out thinking, ‘That was worth it and I can’t wait for next time.’”