Are the chips down for traditional fish supper?

Kevin Shoesmith/BBC

Fish and chip shops are fast morphing into general takeaways just to stay afloat due to a perfect storm of changing tastes and spiralling costs, an official trade body has warned.

The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) said many were now having to sell pizzas, burgers and even loaded fries alongside the traditional fare to bring in customers.

President Andrew Crook said the price of cod had doubled in the past year and claimed consumers were ditching fish suppers for cheaper ready meals.

Lee Chester, who now sells chilli and curry at his Hull fish and chip shop, said: "Look at the number of kebabs, chicken and pizza shops that are about. The traditional fish and chip era has gone."

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Mr Chester, who opened his Hedon Road shop 10 years ago, said: "Our traditional customer base is dying off.

"Younger people are growing up surrounded by Chinese, Indian, you name it, takeaways.

"British fish and chips is now a very niche market."

Mr Chester said he sells homemade chilli and curry "just to get people through the door".

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Businesses are unable to make up for rising wholesale costs by hiking up prices, he said.

"There's a ceiling that people are willing to pay for fish and chips. We charge a tenner for a haddock and chips," said Mr Chester.

Mr Crook, from NFFF, said fish and chips are a "big part of British culture", adding they "kept the nation going during two world wars".

But he added: "It's so tough for fish and chip shop operators at the moment. As well as looking at alternative species [of fish], operators are selling burgers, pizzas and loaded fries just to get people through the door and the cash flow going."

Tastes had also changed, he said.

"The rise in apps such as Just Eat means there is a lot more variety these days," Mr Crook added.

"Younger people tend to like finger food with various dips and sauces."

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At his own fish and chip shop in Chorley, Lancashire, Mr Crook said the wholesale price of cod had doubled to about £300 per 18kg (39lb) box.

He agreed with Mr Chester that businesses were having to absorb the bulk of increases while looking at alternative, cheaper products.

Mr Crook said he was considering selling kibbeling - a Dutch snack of deep-fried, battered pieces of white fish, often served with a dipping sauce.

Ready meals also pose a major threat, he said.

"Before, people might have had a couple of takeaways a week - an Indian or a Chinese takeaway at the weekend and fish and chips during the week.

"Due to the recent cost of living crisis, people are now only having one takeaway a week. They're swapping a fish and chips for a cheaper ready meal, which unlike takeaways, don't carry VAT."