WHAT IF no 13: BILLINGS Fishmongers & butchers

[girl_canuck]

We bought some coley to make fish fingers a few nights ago - they were delicious!

Tonight I stopped by on the way home and picked up some swordfish steaks. They gave me a great suggestion to make a sauce of garlic/black olives/capers, grill it with olive oil, and serve on a cherry tomato salad.

There is such a huge variety of fish in there. And I've been meaning to increase our fishy intake for a while now! I'm so HAPPY that Billings has arrived!!!

[pinkfizz]

a very welcome addition. however, i do wish the guys who work there would not stand outside, right by the entrance and have a fag! completely puts me off! not good PR. sort it out

[simon]

I bought some plaice last week and just coated it in some breadcrumbs and parmigiano reggiano and baked it. It was absolutely exquisite and was the best fish I have tasted for around 20 years. My wife was similarly impressed and we’re going try something from Billings once a week now.
An excellent addition to the High Street.

[robor2b102]

Hi, having moved to Sydenham only 2 months ago I was absolutely delighted to find that a new fishmonger was opening on the High St! The range there is brilliant and I have been in there 3 or 4 times now and the staff have always been helpful and courteous.

I shall try and shop there as much as possible. I do have a couple of suggestions though:

Amo, I think you are carrying too much stock. I know it's difficult to gauge exactly what you'll need when you first open, and the range of produce you have is very impressive but I think that sometimes less is more when it comes to fish. The fresher the better, and by Sunday, I would try to have no stock in at all. Take the day off mate and build your stock back up on Monday morning.
Also, I think the idea of the recipe card (and associated ingredients) is a stroke of genius and the feedback on this site seems to substantiate that. Why not go to the next level and do what they do in the restaurant trade: Use up old stock in 'fish pies', 'bouillabaise', 'thai fish curries' etc and provide 'made in house' ready meals for people to take home. They could be fresh (in vac-packed bags to reheat in water or containers for the oven) or even frozen down for reheating later. Could be a good way to use up all the Sunday stock.

[hdekretser]

Delighted with Billings so far and are using them once a week at least. Saves a drive to Moxons in East Dulwich. Fresh mackerel was the best I've eaten. Looking forward to cooking new fish I've not tried before. Would like to see home made frozen fish stock available and maybe their own fish cakes or other ready meals.

[sydenhamboy]

Had delicious scallops last night (simply pan fried - the nice guy in there told me how to do them). Sweet and meaty (the scallops - not him).

Great shop. Well done Billings.

SB

[coll]

It took a while but I finally got to try it out today. I went in for one tuna but the guy got me to try swordfish. He gave me a quick recipe and was really helpful. The worrying thing was he said they've been 'steady but not busy.'

We can't let this place fail! Great addition to the High Street!

[mummycat]

fun

[jonekt]

May be they should try some advertising, leafleting the area..? There only real competition I can think of is Moxons in ED. I think Blue Mountain did this when it first opened and with proffesional leaflets maybe people would travel to Sydenham to visit if they new it was there - especially if offers a bit of a discount on the first purchase.

I personally think it is a great addition to the high street and once the sign is up at the front I think it will help to attract passers by..

[mummycat]

this

[leenewham]

Talking of signs, I need to contact Amo, they delivered it to my house just now!

[MiniFox]

I finally went in yesterday after weeks of good intentions, but reading they're in need of more custom made me get my act together. I agree totally that we need to support what's here (and actually havent bought fish elsewhere either since they opened as I kept intending to go in)

And I have nothing more to add to all of the really good feedback everyone has on here
What a lovely place: Amo was really helpful. He boned my fish and obviously loves what he does. He gave lots of suggestions as to what to give my baby. They've made such an investment, I have to agree, it would be a tragedy for it to fail

I am going to go in with some regularity as this is such a lovely place offering brilliant and knowlegable service. What a gem

[biscuitman1978]

Amo, I think you are carrying too much stock. I know it's difficult to gauge exactly what you'll need when you first open, and the range of produce you have is very impressive but I think that sometimes less is more when it comes to fish. The fresher the better, and by Sunday, I would try to have no stock in at all. Take the day off mate and build your stock back up on Monday morning.

I take the point, but I really like the fact that I can shop there on Saturday and Sunday, as I cannot get there on weekdays (like many people, I suspect). I think that closing on Monday rather than Sunday is an excellent idea, and I wish other shops on Sydenham Road would follow Billing's lead.

One quick point on the advice given in the shop: it really is okay to say 'don't know' when you don't know the answer to a question. My question today about the flavour of a particular type of fish was met with the response, 'Like most fish.' If all fish tasted the same I'd get the cheapest fish available from a supermarket rather than going to a fishmonger!

But all in all a great shop, and one I will continue to support.

[amob]

Hello everyone,

I know this may be cheeky but I'd like to share the Billing's website with you all.

http://www.shopbillings.co.uk/

I made it myself, I'm quite proud! However it is a work in progress, so any suggestions/tips would be much appreciated. I am in the process of populating it with content.

In regards to the Butchers, we have had a delay but we are getting closer by the day, we are now looking at a late march opening. I will post regularly on the website with updates.

Regards,
Amarjeet Billing.

[leenewham]

Amo, I can give you your logo to fit and drop straight in the header if you let me know the pixel size. Or I can pop around if you need a hand.

Looking forward to March.

[Hill Dweller]

Regardless of what it looks like .....

Coming late to this thread although Lee's 'What if' thread appealed to me as it's always been a phrase I like and always think sounds optimistic whereas some people perceive it as pessimism


Back to the quote ..... I'm afraid I wish there was some permission needed for signage.
Some is grotesque, looking as if people just chose a sign from a scrap yard for a fiver and that's what decided the name and face of their premises.

Sydenham and Penge high streets could both look much better than they do (Penge might even avoid the nickname 'Cringe' that a friend uses!).

Congratulations to Billings for avoiding the 'pile it high and sell it cheap' principle

[leenewham]

Thanks HD, the What If project was hopefully to inspire shop owners rather than just going to a signage company and accepting what they gave them. You will always find some people who are scheptical, it's only natural. Part of the problem with our high streets is that shop front and signage companies offer off the peg solutions which are poorly designed and often expensive. Especially if the whole shop front is ripped out.

That's partially why the What If's never 'ripped out' shop fronts, but used what was already there with minimal changes. It's more sustainable, looks better and is cheaper too. Amo's Enamel sign cost about £400, it's made by the same people who make the signs for London Underground. It's been a bit of a hit on the internet, do a search for Billings and What if Sydenham.

Thanks to Amo for being the first What If Sydenham. It's not about telling business owners what to do, it's about showing what is possible. If they want to do it, if they get enough support on the forum, hopefully we change the look of Sydenham Road bit by bit. Design is an issue, the most visible part of the road are the shop fronts and signage. However, good signage wont make a good business. Infact to quote a famous advertising saying 'good design and advertising will only make a bad product fail faster'. They should be standards. But it's not just about design and it's not just about what you do, it's about BOTH. We can only help with part of it.

There are a few other What If's in the pipeline, but as we are doing this 'Pro bono' for Sydenham we have to fit them in around the work that pays our mortgage, which of late has more and more difficult. Watch this space: http://www.whatifsydenham.wordpress.com

[Hill Dweller]

It's not about telling business owners what to do, it's about showing what is possible.

That's a much better way of putting it !
It's a shame imhoo that some retailers think they have to 'talk down' to their target clientele.
Especially when, once inside, some have good products.
I was always resentful of '99p Stores' for taking over from Woolies (even though the latter really didn't help themselves, hopelessly small stock/value densities compared to their size and need to pay the rent ......)

But ..... despite their rotten graphics, 99p Store in Penge has a mountain of Panettone at the mo (it makes a much nicer bread and butter pudding).

Being a tortoise I also resent the word 'store'.
Maybe I should get some sleep

[amob]

I thought you said a mountain of Pantene (The shampoo) for your cooking! I did have to double take.

Lee's work on my shop was invaluable; he really did improve the aesthetics without increasing the costs, he deserves a medal, or maybe some fish...

[Hill Dweller]

You reminded me of the fab new range of Pantone products