CHARLOTTE MITCHELL, KNIGHTS FISH RESTAURANT

Charlotte Mitchell, Knights Fish Restaurant. Welcome to Fish Focus spotlight on Women in Seafood, Issue 2. Follow us as we celebrate the amazing women at the forefront of the seafood industry.

Knights Fish Restaurant in Glastonbury, is a family run, award winning fish restaurant with a proud heritage dating back over 100 years. Charlotte Mitchell along with her husband, Kevin and son, George, own and run this thriving business.

You worked at the restaurant with your dad Bill, for several years before taking on the restaurant yourself, had you always known that you wanted to be part of the business, or did you have a different career path in mind when you were young?

I worked at the shop as a teenager, but this was more about earning money at the time not about being involved in the business.

At that time my grandmother was still alive, but it was being managed by my cousins. When my dad took sole ownership after his sister passed away, I was persuaded to help at times again for need rather than as a plan for the future.

My childhood revolved around sport, which was to become my career pathway. I spent 30 years playing and coaching many sports, mainly in school environments. It was only when Kevin, my husband started helping dad at the shop and then working at the shop that it became a bigger part of my life.

In 2010 my dad retired and due to being one of 5 children, Kevin and I bought the business from dad as I wanted to ensure it stayed in the family.

What were the challenges you faced, keeping true to the values of not only your dad, but also the previous generations of your family, who had built Knights into what it had become?

Honestly no challenges. The Knights’ story was already out there. My grandmother was such a well-known figure within the community. My grandfather died in his 50’s so Granny Knight was the face of the shop.

It had no competition to face in those days, fish and chips was the only take-away. It became more challenging for dad when the take-away boom started and the big names moved into the area. Our early years were hard, we had to develop the menu to add alternatives whilst promoting our staple dish, fish.

George, my son did a lot of research into the shop’s past and was able to prove its long history. It was my great grandmother who was listed on the census as selling fried fish from her house at the current address, so its beginnings started with the female line.

It wasn’t just about modernising the business, you also had the challenge of working within the parameters of a grade 2 listed building, when you were carrying out the restoration. Were you involved with all the design and building decisions?

Planning for a new fryer range was fun. The business was struggling with a 30-year-old, 3 pan range the only way to develop was to increase output. A bigger range! How do we get it in?

The first company we approached said we would have to remove the shop front, when we said that’s not possible due the listing, then things got tricky. We spoke to KFE who were brilliant in building a bespoke size, arriving in two pieces to get it through the door. It was a nervous moment seeing a 4-metre-long range on a forklift and squeezing through the narrow gap with not a millimetre to spare. Great planning I say!

The whole design of the refit was done by us. The space is small and quirky, low ceiling, feature doors and many other factors, so it was important to make sure we could operate efficiently. George and I, taped plans onto the floor – we used a tape measure more times than you could imagine, but we got it right.

How has your menu evolved since you started? What are the challenges keeping up with healthy eating trends, allergies and making what is a traditional meal, something which is truly relevant today?

Creating the menu has been the biggest area of development for us. It was a very basic, traditional menu, so we started adding new products to appeal to more diners.

Glastonbury is a diverse town, so we needed to offer meat free and plant-base options, which the new frying range enables us to do. We offer gluten free batter and sales for this continue to rise.

We use frozen at sea Icelandic cod as our staple but also, we offer several other species as fresh fish specials, such as haddock, plaice, monk fish and saithe and continue to explore other fish such as hake, as a frozen-at-sea option, due to the reduced cod quotas driving up the price.

Elizabeth Hockey, started selling fried fish in 1895, and your ancestor Mary, started working for her, have these two pivotal women been an inspiration to you, as a woman starting her own business?

There is no doubt that the women in my family were innovative, hardworking females. I like to think I have those genes and have given my heart and sole to ensuring their legacy continues. For me it’s not just about making money but offering great food and a great experience to customers, to continue the story for more generations.

Has it been a positive or a negative being a woman in a male dominated industry and as a woman running a very successful business?

Not a negative. I find the industry very supportive in general. There is a great camaraderie and sharing ideas are welcomed. It’s a positive that we are seeing more women rising to the top in the trade.

Personally, I am an organiser and very much hands-on. I’m involved with all the day-to-day operations. Leadership has always been part of my life. I think females are more caring and interested in the smaller details, not exclusively of course but generally.

Do you do anything to actively encourage girls and women to not only become part of the industry, but also to progress in their careers?

Not actively but I hope that the girls and women in our shop are inspired by me. I think they certainly see the investment of my time and energy, into the success of the business. I often tell them the life skills you get from working in the hospitality industry make you a very rounded individual. It’s a tough career but a rewarding one.

Winning the award for Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year, at the National Fish and Chip Awards last year, was an amazing achievement, how has this changed not only your business, but your enthusiasm for what you do?

Winning the award has been huge. The increase in trade is amazing but the accolade is more important. The pleasure in saying NFFF Restaurant of the Year, makes me so proud. It was a recognition of the Knights’ journey and that’s what I enjoy most, we are so unique.

I still get overwhelmed when thinking about the moment it was announced. It means I have had to work even harder to manage the success – but with great pleasure and drive to keep improving and developing. I have a responsibility as a female Knight ancestor.