Bennett’s has served fish and chips on Weymouth’s harbour in Dorset for over 35 years. Now, with the opening of Bennett’s at The Regency in Lodmoor – just two miles away – owner Mark Bennett explains how a second site is helping streamline operations and taking pressure off the seasonal harbour shop
What inspired you to open a second Bennett’s Fish & Chips?
When the pandemic hit, I built a large mobile unit ready for when we came out of Covid, and since then I’ve spent 50% of my time for the last five years doing mobile catering at big festivals like Glastonbury, Isle of Wight and Hyde Park Calling. But over time, festival organisers have started using middlemen who now charge between 28 and 32% in fees. After accounting for all my costs, I was working for just 10–12%, and it became unsustainable. Last summer, I decided I’m out this winter, and that’s what I did. I sold up and started to work out my next move.
I looked at my main site on the harbour, and in peak season, we hit breaking point. We’d outgrown the space. So, when a second premises came up in Lodmoor, I saw an opportunity. It allowed me to move our delivery service out of the harbour shop and take some pressure off. I also had space at Lodmoor for the chip van, because we also have a local chip round that we do, and it meant I could prep food and load up the van quite easily.
Were you nervous about having two chip shops in the same town?
At first, yes. I worried it might dilute trade. But it’s gone the other way. The Lodmoor shop is becoming the chip shop choice for locals. I hadn’t fully realised that when Weymouth gets busy, local people tend to avoid the town. Now, they’re saying, “Thank God you’re up here!”—no more queues or parking struggles. Plus, this shop will have year-round trade, unlike the harbour.
Have you made many changes to the new shop?
The shop needed a bit of a renovation, which we’ve done. We kept the 25-year-old frying range, which surprisingly still works well. It’s a four pan with two round pans and two oversized ones. We opened with a 20% discount for locals, and it’s been non-stop ever since.
There’s a lot of negativity in the industry at the moment, especially around costs. Prices for fish are ridiculous. So we’ve added some extras – loaded fries, salt and pepper chicken, battered Mars bars – and they’re proving popular.
Is the menu the same at both shops?
Yes, identical. The menu is tied into our delivery and click-and-collect services, so I have to keep it consistent. It’s a bit of a squeeze in terms of space, though- we’re adding freezers and equipment constantly!
It’s a tough time for hospitality. Are you confident you made the right move?
Definitely. I couldn’t serve locals properly at the harbour. If you live here and see a queue of 80 people, you’re driving straight past. The second site means we can actually look after our regulars properly.
Do you plan to open more locations?
No, I’m not looking to build a chain. We’re very much a family-oriented business – family owned, family run is one of our slogans – and I want to keep it that way. We already employ around 40–45 staff across the two shops and our chip van. That’s plenty. Managing a large team isn’t my strength, and being seasonal makes recruitment hard. Everyone thinks the opposite because all the students come back in the summer, but they don’t come back until May and June, and I need to start employing from Easter. That seasonality makes recruitment harder, and that’s another reason why I wouldn’t do a chain.
What lessons have you learned from opening a second shop?
Don’t get too experimental. I considered adding kebabs, pizzas and burgers and even bought the equipment – but I’ve parked that idea for now. We’re too busy. I was a bit frightened that I might have to put these things on to top up our menus and give us a bigger audience with the aggregators, like JustEat, but I’ve not needed to yet.
How are you ensuring consistency between the two locations?
The fact that they’re only two miles apart helps, so I can easily drive between the two. My wife and I oversee both sites, but I’ve got a family who run the harbour shop – Jake, Paula, and Keith, and their son Elliot, who now manages the new shop. They are incredibly loyal and there is consistency, because they’ve worked there for years, and they’re overseen by me. I’m never too far away now I’m not at festivals.
Were there any major challenges in opening the second site?
Not really, it was a turnkey project. We just needed to add our own stamp. The shop used to be The Regency and was run by a lovely lady called Sue Watts and her family. We’ve put up a plaque dedicated to her and a photo inside and called it ‘continuing the legacy’. Customers often mention it while waiting for their food and remember her – it’s a nice connection to the past.
What are your plans?
I’m a firm believer in doing what we do and doing it well. I get anxious about rising fish prices and have explored alternatives like coley and hake. But every time I find what I class is a good fish for me to buy that hits my margin, I sell one portion for every 30 cod. Then the rest goes off, and I lose money. Worse still, if it does catch on, the supplier raises the price!
So now, I’m not afraid to put my prices up. I’ve learned that if I keep portion size and quality consistent and explain price increases to customers, eight out of ten will still buy it. We’ve introduced a mini meal – small fish, mushy peas or curry sauce, and a handful of chips – for a lower price. It’s popular, especially with the older generation, and helps us keep our margins.
What’s your current price for cod and chips?
It’s £12.80 for a medium cod and chips. I’ve made three significant price increases in the last year. I increased cod by 50–60p initially, then £1, and then we had another increase around Easter across the menu due to wage rises. Margins have to be protected or you start losing money.
What advice would you give to someone opening a second shop?
Location is everything. For me, it was essential to find a place that would attract local trade, where I could park, prep, and manage everything easily. Being nearby means I can support both shops effectively. That’s been key.
