Our Story

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Since the very first fish and chip shop opened in London in 1860, the UK population has been smitten. The importance of fish and chips to the nation was such that during World War II it was one of the few foods not subject to rationing, and in the 21st century it remains one of our favourite foods – indeed, media mogul Simon Cowell was even quoted in a national newspaper as saying that he would never leave the UK for good because he loves fish and chips too much!

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The staff and owners of Busy Bees Fish & Chips in Bridlington couldn’t agree more – fish and chips are a family tradition for them, after 40 years of running a chain of successful takeaways and restaurants in and around the town centre. Today the business is thriving under the management of second-generation family members Richard Hunter, brother John, and sister Susan. Susan’s son Lewis also works in the business.

Busy Bees was founded by father Bernard and his business partner in 1973, with Richard, John, and Susan helping out from a very young age. All three went on to work full time in the business from leaving school at 16, and took the reins of Busy Bees back in 2004. Busy Bees has gone from strength to strength since then, and today employs around 30 people with the newest takeaway opening in 2012.

So what is it the key to Busy Bees’ success? Richard, John, and Susan feel that it is simply a combination of sourcing the best ingredients, and a focus on making customers feel welcome and valued when they visit. They believe passionately that providing the food is delicious, the staff are friendly and helpful, and the shops and restaurants are welcoming and comfortable, then customers will enjoy their visit and will want to return.

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Richard Hunter comments: “For people visiting Bridlington, fish and chips is one of the main attractions. With a 900 year old working harbour as the centrepiece of the town, and miles of rich farmland in the surrounding area, visitors and locals alike expect nothing less than the freshest, tastiest fish and chips. We are proud to welcome the thousands of visitors who come to Bridlington every year, and eat our fish and chips. Equally though we are delighted to have such a loyal local customer base, with people from within the town itself and across the East Riding and Hull area who have made Busy Bees their ‘local chippy’. This is our 40th year in business, and we’d like to wholeheartedly thank all of our customers and suppliers for their support. We love Bridlington and we are immensely proud that Busy Bees has been a part of this community for so long. We look forward to what the future holds for both the town and our business”.