Harry Ramsden’s — which boasts that it serves the world’s most famous fish and chips — is set to return to the roots of its eponymous founder with the biggest franchise deal in the company’s 87 year history.
The agreement, which includes the opening for 50 outlets across the north of England during the next four years, is expected to create at least 500 jobs. And next month will see the opening of the first of the new brand of Harry Ramsden restaurants at Shipley, West Yorkshire, by Vikesh and Dimple Patel who jointly run JVP Ventures.
“It has always been a dearly held ambition to bring the Harry Ramsden’s name back to Yorkshire so I am delighted that the first franchise to be awarded fulfills that desire,” commented chief executive, Joe Teixeira. “It also represents a financial investment in Harry Ramsden’s, which was so sadly lacking under previous owners.”
Since taking over in 2011, Teixeira has overseen a multi-million relaunch and expansion of the Harry Ramsden’s estate, including the recent £1m refurbishment of its Bournemouth site — making it the largest fish and chip restaurant in the world.
Both Patel brothers have corporate finance backgrounds and, for the past four years, have concentrated on growing their “Love Coffee” chain of coffee restaurants, which now has 34 nationwide outlets.
Their vision is to create a chain of Ramsden-branded full service restaurants with takeaway facilities, as well as the new “traditional locals”. Explained 27-year-old Dimple Patel: “Currently, our main priority is finding suitable locations in major cities including Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield for 100-plus seater restaurants.
“We are also looking for possible sites for the smaller, ‘traditional’ locals, but the final mix of outlets will be dependent on the location and size of units available. However, I think there will certainly be more opportunities for ‘traditional locals’ in highly populated areas,” he added, saying whatever the combination “I would conservatively estimate that we will create around 500 jobs by 2019”.
Their inaugural 1,000 sq ft restaurant has been built on Wrose Road, Shipley, with further openings in Huddersfield and Sheffield planned later this year.
“First and foremost, to be able to bring Harry’s name back to his roots is really exciting for us,” said 30-year-old Vikesh Patel. “We have spent a great deal of time and effort in identifying and securing suitable sites, however that process has been made slightly easier since both Dimple and myself were born and brought up in Yorkshire.”
He also admitted: “Time and taste move on and whilst I think comparisons will be inevitable, our new Harry Ramsden’s outlets will reflect the brand’s evolution and we are looking to the future with great confidence.”
Harry Ramsden opened his first fish and chip shop in 1928 at White Cross, Guiseley, West Yorkshire. Three years later he moved across the road to a new 250-seat restaurant which, at the time, held the world record for its size. Although the original hut is still standing, the restaurant closed for business in 2012. There are currently 25 Harry Ramsden outlets across the UK and Ireland.
