Fish and Chips shop set to hang up their apron after 40 years

BERNIE and Ayten Torgut are getting ready to hang up their aprons after spending the past 40 years running their fish and shop in Tamworth, Birmingham

The couple spoke with Birmingham Live looking back on their shop Bolehall Fish Bar, where they’ve lived, worked and raised a family, since 1982.

This weekend will be the final time the fish and chip shop will service its customers Bernie, 63, and Ayten, 59, said: “Closing up for the last time will be one of the hardest days of our lives. We have loved and appreciated every single minute, but all good things must come to an end. We’re just the right age now to enjoy the grandkids and do things with them.”

Bernie and Ayten Torgut

Bernie said: “When we first came here, there was no gas in the house and we had to light a coal fire to get hot water. We worked until 1 am or 2 am most days and it took us around six years to really get established before we could think about taking a holiday.”

But despite the long hours, Bolehall Fish Bar has been at the heart of the family, where Bernie and Ayten have worked side-by-side, day-by-day, for almost as many years as they’ve been married. As their children Naime and Huseyin grew up, they also helped with the family business, and they all became familiar faces in the community.