Mermaid chippy & Kirkdale Express drycleaners

[fanillier]

These two business' belong to my family and I was wondering what people thought about them. Anyone who cares to share their experiences is welcome to! Good or bad, we're only human. =)

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[JulietP]

I've never used either - but I keep meaning to pop into the chippy and take my winter coats in to be drycleaned! Will report back once I have!

[fanillier]

Excellent! Look forward to reading about your experience.

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[dickp]

I use the chippy fairly regularly - albiet less so since the price of the cod went up. The cost of a fish and chip meal is now approaching chinese takeaway prices. So, if I want a takeout, I'm more likely to order a chinese takeaway than I was before. Plus, chinese takeways delivery, free of charge.

Hope this is useful info, in terms of how much punters are willing to spend, and where they will switch their custom too.

I don't use the dry cleaners.

[Labanised]

Hi, I've got a little (probably silly) question...
Whenever I opt for chips from the Mermaid, the chips often feel over-done and tough.
I know you guys know your stuff and are super friendly (a real bonus) but, is it because of the oil or something?
I've often caught the chips coming straight out of the fryer and it's still the same and it does ruin it for me (especially as the price of fish goes up).

Tonight is Fry-up Friday and I really prefer your plaice (...sorry, I'll get my coat) but, over-done chips just means I now go to the chippy opposite Forest Hill station and will even put up with them being colder by the time I get home as well as tearing my wallet a new one. It also means I can't recommend the Mermaid to friends when I really want to because you're my local chippy.

Hope this feedback isn't too negative but, it is my experience and I would rather use your place than not.

[FayeM]

Labanised i totally agree with you on this one, i used to regularly go to Mermaid Chippy but havent for quite a while, the chips are either too over done/very tough or undercooked and extreamley oily.

[marymck]

I haven't used the chippy for some years - but that's purely because I haven't bought fish & chips for years. When I did use it I found it excellent and especially liked that you sold rock fish ... which I love! Hope you still sell rock?

I do use the dry cleaners, but I do find you have to pick things up pretty promptly or they can get a bit crushed. Last time I went in there was a lady picking up her "cleaned" garment and it was really very grubby. When she pointed this out, she was given pretty short shrift. I personally haven't had any problems with the cleanliness of the items - though the ironing and finishing leaves a lot to be desired - but I didn't like the way that lady was treated.

[digime2007]

We don't eat fish and chips very often but we use the Mermaid occasionally and have always enjoyed the food.

My only criticisms (and these apply to chippys in general) are that there is no information on the sustainability of the fish sourcing, the choice of fish is very limited and if it's not Cod you don't always have it, and there's nothing reassuring me that no trans fats are used to extend the life of the oil so I assume I'm eating artery clag.

I guess the average punter just wants no-questions-asked Cod and chips. I find that depressing but maybe that's the market you're aiming at.

[leenewham]

I'd like to know about that too Digime.

I was hoping a local chippie would start doing mackerel as in Hughs Fish Fight. Since that program went out we have eaten quite a lot of mackerel. Sales in supermarkets have increased too.

Having tastings of other fish would be good. There is a lot of fear about fish (cooking and eating, I was party to lots research when I designed the packaging for supermarkets fish ranges).

I only wish Kirkdale FELT like the village Wooster and Stock are saying that it is. It doesn't. The shops could go a long way to making it look and feel like a village.

I live down the bottom of the Sydenham so don't venture up to Kirkdale to shop often. I've dropped leaflets off there for various campaigns/fun days etc to local shops and all the businesses there seem friendly and more than happy to help out. As an aside, why do so many businesses no longer name themselves after the people who run them? They would in a village (hint hint).

I think it's great that you are using this forum like this fanillier, I hope other businesses follow suit.

[fanillier]

Hi all,

Good to see these replies so far. I don't have much time at the moment to respond individually (have a 23month and 7week old boys) so I thought I'd give a little background info as to why it's a one-man-show in the chippy at the moment.

We took over the then called Kentmen's in 2005 and I personally worked there full time until I got married in Nov 2008 (then I moved to NZ) at which point my mum, an employee, and one of my brothers took over. I don't know what they did whilst I was away but since being back, I've grown more and more disgruntled at how everything is running. I'm not going to make excuses.

At the end of the day, these business' belong to my family, I live on top the chippy with my little family and if this shop goes under, we're homeless. Alhamdulillah, business isn't that extremely bad but I KNOW it can be better because I've DONE better.

The reason why it's a one-man-show (the guy is no relation to us) is because my brothers have their careers in law now, I'm a full-time mum, and my mum is classified as disabled. She took a bad tumble in the shop in 2009 (resulting in a broken shoulder) and has taken to early retirement. She has other health issues not to mention her decades old back problems of which have deteriorated her ability to walk comfortably at all. She is pending her second back operation at the moment which will be the major of the two. It's one of the damned if she does and damned if she doesn't situations regarding this next operation.

So, since all of this (and then some) happened, they hired this guy to run the shop. I don't like the job he's doing, simply put. We are limited in our options as to what we can do about it but I haven't given up hope just yet and am contemplating working evenings to boost the business with the good food I know I used to fry up.

InshAllah I'll be back this evening to respond to individual posts.

Thank you for sharing.

[Ruby]

I have to admit that I travel out of the area to buy fish and chips.
I remember many years ago that it used to be a fairly nice fish and shop shop, however I would not buy from there now.
The last time I went in was over 2 years ago and the food did not taste nice at all. Also it does not look very inviting in there and that is another reason why I would not go in now.
It would be lovely to see it done up like an old fashioned chippy or looking less like any other kebab/chicken shop.

[fanillier]

Dickp,

The price of fish first goes up for us. Fish is also more expensive than other meats (and the healthiest of them, though not deep fried if you're consuming the batter as well) so bear that in mind when you next place an order with your Chinese takeaway.

Labanised,

The chips can be like that for a number of reasons such as... You may have caught them at a time when the oil they were cooked in has matured, sat in the chip box too long, or simply we haven't had the best batch of Maris Pipers that week.

I haven't worked in the shop for 3 years so as I haven't had my hand in the running of the place. It's difficult to say if it has improved as I've spoken with regulars who still love the food and those who no longer use us as they feel the quality has dropped since I left.

Marymck,

Yes we still sell Rock.

Never any good reason to have a bad attitude toward customers! As a rule of thumb (yes, I did work in the drycleaners before we took over in the chippy) I would inspect all garments in front of the customer, ask them if there are any stains I should know about, and on the occassions that I'd find something (depending on what it was) I would explain that we cannot guarantee it will come out. We'll give it a go but bar damaging the garment through extensive chemical spotting, whether customers are told or not there just isn't a guarantee it'll come out.

Rail space is problematic when the shop is busy and people don't come to collect when they have said they would. If you're right on time when you come to pick your garments up and aren't satisfied with them please feel free to point out any pressing/finishes you're not happy with. I'm sure my Baba will re-do them free of charge.

Digime2007,

Not entirely sure if palm oil is a trans fat but that's the oil we use. Originally the batter of the fish wasn't meant for eating and was only intended as a casing so that a fish could withstand being deep fried.

Cod is the most popular fish on the menu. We've wasted a lot of fish when it hasn't been ordered by customers in the past so we don't have on hand a vast amount of the other fish to prevent this wasteage. You could ring in advance to check if you have a hankering for another fish and place your order too if they do.

There are steep regulations our suppliers have to abide by which is monitored by the government where source is concerned; but really if you're not asking chippys where they're getting their fish from, you're not getting any closer to an answer.

Leenewham,

I too love mackerel, have done since my childhood. I'm at a loss for ideas as to how local chippys could provide it as part of a regular menu (pointless as a teaser) though and I'm not sure a lot of customers would go for it.

Ruby,

If only our budgets could match our desires in aesthetically improving the shop! Instead, we did all the repair work that was neglected by the previous owners and gave it a simple 'tidy up' look.

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[Tim Lund]

fanillier

Hope you don't mind, but I'm going to link to this response of yours from now on when I want to show how local businesses should use Forums such as this. In other threads I go on about openness and transparency as being at the heart of well run businesses, but you are showing it in practice.

On the particular matter of trans fats, I'd like to introduce you to my wife, who works at the DH, formerly the Food Standards Agency, and is very well up on these issues. In a nutshell, I don't think it's something you or your customers should be too worried about, but it's great to see that you are aware of these issues.

[fanillier]

Hi Tim,

No worries whatsoever! I've always been honest in addressing matters in our shops, it is against my personal beliefs to lie and I simply won't ignore or fob a customer off when they've approached me regarding their garments or food.

Would love to learn more from your wife if she's able to expand on this particular matter you've reflected upon.

You know, there is only one life in this life and it'd be a shame to waste any of it with deciet. I want my family's business to improve and if I can use the feedbacks we've been getting to do something positive about it, I will.

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[digime2007]

Tim, your statement on trans fats is a bit misleading in my opinion. The FSA reassurance is based on the average intake across the population not being deemed a risk. However, there is inevitable variance in consumption in different sections of the society. Also, the accuracy of the measures used in assessing intake have been questioned meaning the problem could be bigger than the FSA acknowledge.

There are substantiated health risks associated with trans fats and NICE have pretty much recommended a ban along with Doctors. I try to keep my consumption down in the same way I keep my saturated fat and salt intake down. Fish and chips are never going to be a healthy option but I like to make an informed choice. If I suspect a chippy uses them I'm less likely to spend money there.

I am pleased to hear the Mermaid uses palm oil. As long as this is the red oil and not an industrialised derivative it's a good choice - on balance.

fanillier, if you're interested in makerel and sustainability issues (government policy is not necessarily the best benchmark) check out this web site:

http://www.fishfight.net/about-mackerel-mission/

I understand though that if the vast majority of people walk in and ask for cod and chips that's what you'll look to stock. That also means that people who don’t want cod don’t go there so you get a bit of a vicious circle. I think there needs to be a culture change if we can look forward to a brighter future and that needs to be driven by places selling fish. I'd love to see it locally and would support it but at the moment the Mermaid just isn't the place you can have those kinds of conversations. Don't take this the wrong way - I eat there sometimes and enjoy the food but I think it could be so much more.

[Labanised]

Hi, thanks for getting back about the oil.
I thought perhaps it was just my timing that was off so, was prepared too keep trying (to a point) but, I don't eat fish and chips all the time (honest).
I must say that when the frequency of tough chips went up and up, I just voted with my feet as I do when I don't like a shop/ service etc.

It's not the biggest hardship in the world to give it another go and I'm very impressed at you asking for feedback so, for my part, I'm willing to pop back in next time I fancy chips however, if they are the same texture as usual, I'll just write the chippy off as one that isn't up to scratch and leave it at that.



Regards

[marymck]

Hi fanillier

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. It's great that you're using the forum like this and your attitude definitely makes me want to use both your businesses.

Really interesting to learn that the batter wasn't originally intended to be eaten. I had no idea about that.

Good to know about the rock too!

Good luck to you and yours.

[Tim Lund]

Tim, your statement on trans fats is a bit misleading in my opinion

Well, guarded and carefully worded, I'll admit to. It's not an area I claim particular expertise in, so I'm going to leave it at that