Chippy out of the frying pan and back to the fryer

By Robin Young

CHIP shop owner Martin Clarke is breathing a sigh of relief after finally being able to reopen his business following a fryer ‘meltdown’ five weeks ago.

The former Navy cook and chief petty officer runs the popular Peels Chippy in the centre of Carisbrooke, offering everything from traditional fish suppers to haggis and curries.

But on October 22 everything was off the menu when his expensive deep fat fryer broke down. That meant the 56-year-old veteran was faced with finding up to £50,000 for a new unit -which his insurance policy was unlikely to cover.

And although things seemed to be improving when Martin managed to find replacement parts at a fraction of the cost and a firm or electrical engineers able to carry out the repairs, his problems still weren’t over.

“No matter how hard they tried,  the elctricians couldn’t get a spark to fire the fryer up,” he told The Globe on Sunday.

“Finally, after they’d been working flat out for two days, the problem was solved and we were able to reopen.

“It’s been an absolute nightmare and we’ve missed some of the busiest weeks of the year but at least everybody at the chippy is now back at work in the run-up to Christmas.

“I’d like to thank all our customers for their patience and understanding over what has been a difficult time. It’s great to be able to welcome them back.”

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PICTURED: Owner Martin Clarke in Peels Chippie at 51 Carrisbrooke Road, Gosport