Shadwell Village Fish Shop: 'Batter runs through my veins as I’ve lived in a 116-year-old fish shop in Yorkshire all my life'

Mark Savage, 59, owner of Shadwell Village Fish Shop, was just four years old when his parents bought the property in 1970.

The shop is attached to a cottage that dates back to 1637, considered the oldest house in the village. In 1909, a fish and chip shop was added to the building and two families were trading in the business: the Stead and Roberts family.

Mr Savage’s parents met in a four-storey fish and chip restaurant in Leeds called Youngmans in the 1960s, fell in love and got married. They decided to buy a shop on Sutherland Mountain in Harehills, where Mr Savage was born in 1966, and four years later they moved into the Shadwell property.

“I’ve known nothing other than that; I was born in a fish shop in 1966 and I’ve lived in a fish shop virtually ever since,” he said.

“I love my work and I’ve been working in the industry since I was 13 years old. Batter runs through my veins.

“My parents met in a fish and chip restaurant; my mother was a waitress and my father was a frier.

“Then they decided to get married and they bought a shop in Harehills, that was their first business together. Four years later they bought the Shadwell fish shop.

“At the time, they wanted to move into a bigger property; they’d had two children by that stage, so they needed a three bedroom property and it had a fish and chip shop in the front room so it catered for all their needs.”

Over the years the family have discovered historic items and features in and around the property.

“It’s a listed building, we unearthed the old fireplace inside the front room in the 1980s where they probably cooked a whole animal back in those days in the 1600s,” Mr Savage said.

“The house is being looked after, it’s nice to live in a cottage with so much history. We’ve got a beautiful well in the driveway which we’ve got covered up.

“One day I would love to lift the cover off that and have a look down at it; it’s a beautiful symmetrical well-made well.

“There was a hole in one of the walls and we pulled out a milkmade’s bonnet they used to wear.

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“I had that sent to one of the guys at the Royal Armouries and a lady said it was 17th century linen. That’s a piece of history, there won’t be more of those in the world.

“I think back in the 1600s they used to put an article of clothing on the wall or above doors to ward off evil spirits.”

Mr Savage’s life has been baked into the village community and over the years, he has seen many visitors come in sharing their connection with the fish shop.

“Working with the general public can be interesting, it can be challenging, to be honest I’ve had a fantastic customer base,” he said.

“You get to know your locals. I’ve been part of the cricket club, I’ve organised firework displays and basically you’re a big part of the village.

“Everybody knows you when you’ve been in the village for 50 odd years. It’s nice to be part of that community.

“People have been coming in for all the years [we’ve owned the shop]. Obviously people do come and go, but we have a rich history of customers.

“They come in week in and week out and support us as we do our bit to support the village. Robert Dyson does a tour of the village and he fills people in on the history of different parts of the village.”

With the challenges facing the fishing industry, Mr Savage has a message to the public.

“Support your local fish shops,” he said.

“I think, for me, the fish and chips in Yorkshire are the best in the world. There are some fantastic operators within Leeds and at the end of the day, good competition is healthy competition.

“It was in 1856, when Joseph Malin reputedly first delivered fish and chips in this country. The business has evolved over the last 100 odd years but the quality has become better and better.

“Times are very difficult at the moment with my industry; the price of fish, potatoes, utilities, everything is going against us at the moment.

“But at the end of the day if you put out a quality product and it’s cooked and served by enthusiastic staff that actually sells and blends into the community, people do come back.

“A lot of the time, some people will come back just to have a chat with the guys, it’s almost like a weekly ritual.”