A family-run business which has involved four generations is celebrating its 100-year love affair with fish and chips.
The Chesterford Group (TCG), based at Start Hill, is run by the Lipscombe family and is one of the largest independently-owned chippy chains in the country.
It has branches including fishnchickn on Thorley Park in Bishop’s Stortford and Churchill’s in Cambridge Road, Stansted.
The business has 45 locations – including the new Pret A Manger in Potter Street after its subsidiary, Joy Brands, became one of the three Pret franchise launch partners for the whole of the UK – and employs around 850 people.
And the family has been serving up the much-loved takeaway since 1923 when coal miner Harold Lipscombe and his wife saved all the money he earned from playing cricket for Accrington, in Lancashire, to move to Romford and buy their first fish and chip shop.
Harold’s son John then took over the reins by opening his own fish and chip shop in 1952 in Harold Hill, Romford, that the family still own to this day.
Then it was the turn of Hugh Lipscombe, the grandson of Harold, to open his first fish and chip shop in Harlow in 1971.
And Hugh’s son and Harold’s great grandson James, who is the current TCG chief executive, is proud to have continued the family tradition.
“To think that my great grandfather opened his very first fish and chip shop 100 years ago is something we are immensely proud of,” said James. “Our love affair with fish and chips continues today – for me, it’s still the best takeaway you can buy!
“I still can’t quite believe how far we have come, from one shop in Romford to 40 shops today, employing over 800 people, and it’s to them and our customers who we owe the greatest thanks to.
“We are looking forward to the next 100 years of serving the nation’s most famous takeaway.”
