As our offices are based in Chelmund’s Cross (indeed just next door to the chippy) and our CEO is a local Chelmsley Wood resident, this community enterprise idea, first mused by the Reverend Neil Roberts of Chelmsley Wood Baptist Church, was one which we got involved in at the very early ideas stage (working at risk) along with the Olive Branch Kitchen CIC, the Baptist Church and Three Tree’s Community Centre.
All partners brought specific skills to the table and our role was that of:
- Setting up the business as a special purpose vehicle (Community Interest Company)
- Developing a robust Business Plan that could compete with the market to secure the lease to the new unit
- Identify and apply for social finance to get the business capitalised (chip shops are not cheap)
It’s been a long road of tough planning, negotiation and scrutiny of our business plan and the partnership’s ability to run a fast food outlet which has now come to fruition with tremendous media coverage including a feature of the BBC’s The One Show aired on 7th March 2018.
The business is set up, as a community interest company and its aims are first and foremost to run a quality fish and chip shop serving great food, employ and train local people in the hospitality and catering industry and make profits to re-invest in the local area.
We’re proud to be one of the partners in this exciting new business which has had a tremendous first week of trade and hopefully many more to come.
The one show feature here (available until the end of March 2018)
Want to start a community chip shop? Get in touch!