'The price of everything's gone up' Chip shop owner's survival struggle

THE owner of a Bristol chip shop has spoken of his fight to keep his business alive amid “major” challenges.

- Ellie KENDALL [e-mail]

Jay Choganbaz, who owns and runs Lawrence Weston Fish Bar, says he has had to dip into his own savings to keep his chippy going.

Some of his customers got in touch with the Post recently, worried that he was on the brink of closing after around two decades serving the community.

Jay has since clarified that it had actually been the business next door, a buy and sell shop, that had closed a month prior. However, he acknowledged it is a “really hard time” not just for him, but everyone working in the hospitality industry.

He said: “I've been struggling for a long time, but I’m not closing right now. Unfortunately, after Covid and especially in the last year, everything has gone up. Inflation is very bad here.