Y-Pas Chippy stays true to itself

Keeping it simple

Brent Watson has built a business and a lifestyle that many operators would envy. For 35 years, he and his wife Anne have run Y-Pas, a traditional fish and chip takeaway that has quietly outlasted its two local competitors.

The reasons aren’t due to extending the menu, opening longer hours or introducing deliveries, but the opposite. Brent has stayed firmly committed to doing a few things exceptionally well and resisting the pressure to do more.

“We’ve run Y-Pas pretty much as it’s always been run – a traditional fish and chip shop – and our biggest seller is fish, chips and peas,” says Brent.

While other shops have been tempted to add more to their menu, Brent has gone the other way, removing items that don’t sell or that have become too fiddly. “We used to sell a homemade chilli, but we’d only sell two or three a week,” he comments. “Burgers were quite popular but we didn’t do salad, so it caused a few problems with people expecting a full burger shop offering. We had no other need to stock salad, so it wasn’t cost-effective. I’d rather just stick to what we do well.”

That discipline extends to the way the business operates, with no delivery apps, no click-and-collect systems, not even phone orders. “People come and queue. They do it because they know what they’re going to get is going to be good,” explains Brent.

A key part of Y-Pas’ success is the hands-on approach, with Brent or Anne there frying every day. “I think that makes a big difference,” says Brent. Another is how he and Anne run the business to support their lifestyle, rather than letting it take over.

“As we’ve got busier, we’ve actually reduced our hours,” explains Brent. “We’re closed on Saturdays from 2pm and all day Sunday. We used to open on Mondays as well, but we decided we wanted a two-day weekend. What we found was the customers just came on different days so we didn’t lose sales, but we saved on gas, electricity and wages.”

What’s more, with Brent and Anne running the shop themselves, they avoid many of the cost pressures facing the industry and, as such, have been able to keep fish and chips just under the £10 mark. Brent adds: “We own the shop, so we don’t need to make huge amounts to live. We’ve had to increase prices like everyone else, but we’re still competitive.”

The menu is not only simple in its choices but its sizes too, with a standard 6oz portion of cod its core product and a 12oz “cod special” available to order. Brent has never been tempted to diversify into alternative species, claiming he’s “too busy to do other fish”. However, he does put offcuts to good use, selling “fish sticks” – three ounces of fish on a skewer for £2.25.

“We’ve done fish sticks for over 30 years. They’re just offcuts, but instead of doing fish bites, we put them on a bamboo skewer, batter them and sell them that way. They’re really popular with the kids who love them because they’re a bit different, as well as older customers who have them with small chips.”

Products that support the shop

Brent’s insistence on maintaining the status quo extends to his relationship with Ceres, which dates back to the very early days, long before the brand gained widespread recognition across the industry.

He explains: “I was one of the first to try the batter mix. Stelios sent me a few bags before it actually went to market. We tried different blends and I gave him some feedback, and I’m sure others did as well.”

That early involvement led to Brent switching over to what would become The Natural Batter Mix, a decision that was influenced by more than just how it performed in the fryer.

“We changed over because my wife used to suffer with indigestion from our previous batter. When we moved onto Ceres’ mix, she didn’t have that anymore. So she was convinced there was something different about it, and that made me think, well, if it’s better for her, it might be better for other people as well.”

Over time, that initial switch has proved itself in day-to-day service, with Brent adding: “The Natural Batter Mix fries really nicely, it presents well, it tastes good and it holds well in the hot box. But the best part is that it doesn’t overpower the food, which is important, especially with cod. It’s not a strong tasting fish, so you don’t want a batter that’s going to dominate it. You want something that complements it, and The Natural Batter Mix does that.”

That consistency is supported by a straightforward preparation routine, which Brent has implemented from the off. He explains: “We always mix fresh batter for every shift, using really cold water. Once it’s mixed, it goes straight into the fridge, and then we just pull from it as we need it through the shift.”

Even during the busiest periods, the batter remains stable and predictable, which is essential in a high volume shop. “If we get really busy, I’ll mix more, but it holds well if it’s kept refrigerated. If we’ve got some left from lunchtime, it’ll run straight into tea time and behave exactly the same. It doesn’t deteriorate or go off.”

Behind the scenes

Brent’s use of Ceres products extends beyond batter, particularly when it comes to cleaning and maintenance, areas that can go overlooked but which have a direct impact on the final product. The introduction of the Ceres Pan Cleaner, for example, marked a significant shift away from older, more hazardous methods.

“We used to clean with caustic soda, so you’d be getting dressed up with goggles and everything. It wasn’t a pleasant job,” he says. “With Ceres Pan Cleaner it’s just a lot more convenient and obviously much safer because it’s non-caustic.”

The process itself is simple and fits easily into the routine of the shop. “Once you’ve taken the oil out of the pan, you fill it with water, add the pan cleaner, bring it up to the boil and leave it for a while. Then I’ll just put some rubber gloves on and give it a good scrub. After a quick rinse, it’s ready to fill with oil again. We’ll do that every few months and it keeps everything really clean, which in turn produces a better product.”

The Ceres Degreaser has also become an important part of the cleaning routine, finding uses beyond its original purpose. “That’s another really good product. I’ve actually been adding a bit into the washing machine when we’re cleaning cloths, and it works really well.”

It’s also particularly effective for smaller equipment where a full pan clean isn’t necessary. “We’ve got a little standalone fryer for meat products so I use the degreaser in there with some water. It breaks everything down properly and makes the job a lot easier.”

Another change that has made a big impact is the use of Ceres Super Absorbent Cloths. Originally used to dry the fish before battering, Brent now lines the trays in the fish fridge with them and they absorb all the moisture so fish isn’t sitting in liquid. “The fish stays nice and dry, which means it is in much better condition.”

It’s also removed a time-consuming step during service, with Brent adding: “There’s no need to pat the fish dry before battering anymore, which on a busy Friday night is a big help. You want those fish in the fryer as quickly as possible, and anything that speeds that up without affecting quality is a bonus.”

After more than two decades, Brent has developed a strong relationship with Ceres born out of a mutual understanding of the trade. He comments: “Stelios is a good chap, and if there’s ever an issue, it gets sorted straight away. He’s been brought up in fish and chips – batter flows through his veins – so he understands and develops products that make sense to us.”