How fishmongers are helping the UK public embrace seafood

Sue also owns The Fish Shop in Camberley, Surrey, one of an estimated thousand independent businesses selling fish; from high street shops to market stalls and a growing fleet of delivery vans. 

Just a few decades ago, many feared for the future of the high street fish shop, as a growing number pulled down their shutters for the final time, with their skilled and experienced owners moving into supermarkets to run in-house wet fish counters. 

But now just one or two of the big retail chains still offer fish that hasn’t been pre-packaged and prepared, which has led to something of a renaissance in fish mongering. 

There are around 100 different species of fish and shellfish available in the UK and fishmongers are playing a crucial role introducing customers to newer, lesser-known species and encouraging them to try something different. 

While in countries such as France and Spain, as well as in many Asian and African cultures, picking up and preparing whole fish is second nature to a savvy shopper, in the UK customers can be more standoffish. This is where a good fishmonger can step in. “Talking about the freshness and quality of what you’re selling is a powerful conversation,” added Sue. 

A small but growing number of fishmongers are also selling online, although ensuring certain fish and shellfish species are available on a daily basis can be a problem. Sue offers a click-and-collect rather than a postal delivery service. “Otherwise, you lose that one-on-one contact,” she says, “and you can’t always guarantee what is going to be available. I like to sell what is in season, too.” 

Far more fishmongers are starting to use social media as a means of keeping in touch with existing customers and also reaching out to prospective customers - talking to customers about promotions, special events and pushing the message that fish and shellfish aren’t just something eaten on a Friday.  

“We regularly put out new recipes and cooking advice and invite our customers to tell us how they’ve cooked their fish or shellfish, which can then inspire other people. There’s a real knock-on effect,” says Sue. “People will try something different when they feel confident about how to cook it.”  

Sue also ran after-hours tasting workshops as a way of encouraging people into what many see as ‘that scary fish shop,’ and taps into a calendar of regular annual events. On Valentine’s Day, for instance, her shop offered a special menu of fresh, prepared monkfish wrapped in Parma ham, which was simple to cook, and which will hopefully have people coming back for more.  

Sue is also tuned into the cultural and religious festivals that are important to her customers, such as the Lunar New Year, and will always ensure she has enough stock of the species people want. 

Hayden Cutting works at the award-winning Bells Fishmongers concession at the Pioneer food store in Carlisle, Cumbria.  

He also wants to demystify fish and shellfish and encourage more people to enjoy it.  

Fish is the ultimate fast food 

Also a big advocate of social media, he runs promotions such as selling fish along with a marinade, making it fast and simple to cook. “It can go straight in the oven,” he says. “It’s the ultimate fast food but with none of the downsides. Then next time they visit I can make other suggestions for them to try.” 

Just talking to customers can open so many doors, he says. “When we tell people that a kilo of fish costs a tenner and can make a meal for four people, they’re amazed at the value,” he explains.

Hayden added: “Buying a British product, which is fished, landed and processed, then sold in the UK, reaps huge benefits, as opposed to importing seafood from around the globe, when it is available on our doorsteps. It’s both greener and better for the economy.” 

Sue agrees: “We have a real focus on quality and provenance and even go as far as displaying where the fish was caught, and the name of the vessel that landed it. Customers love it and it becomes a great talking point.” 

Like many fishmongers, Hayden is on a mission to show the British public that there is a huge variety of different types of fish and shellfish to be enjoyed, and that they should look beyond the popular big five – cod, haddock, tuna, salmon and prawns  - which make up 70% of UK seafood sales. 

Popular alternatives include encouraging customers to try trout instead of salmon, or hake as an alternative to cod, as well as explaining how a flatfish like megrim is just as tasty as its more famous cousin, the sole. 

In 2023, Hayden was proud to be certified as a Master Fishmonger by the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, an award that recognises both his expertise and his deep understanding of seafood. “Skills are so important,” he says. “But it’s not just about preparing and displaying the fish, you need the knowledge of the wider supply chain to be able to sell the fish too; then the customers will trust you and value your opinion, and that’s absolutely crucial. In the UK, we have the product, but we just need more highly skilled people to promote and sell the amazing produce we have available to us.  

“That is why it’s so important to emphasize the importance of skills and training in the industry, along with promoting the wonderful career pathways and opportunities available to both young and old.” 

For those interested in working towards a career as a fishmonger, a level 2 apprenticeship qualification is available.