Beloved Harold Hill Fish & Chip shop to close temporarily.

Fish’n’Chick’n on Hildene Avenue, Harold Hill – owned by the same family since 1952 – will serve its final fish and chips from its current premises on Friday 13 March.

The building will be making way for redevelopment but the business will reopen in the new Hildene venue development in 2028, continuing a remarkable local story that began in the years after World War Two.

The Hildene Avenue shop has been part of the fabric of Harold Hill for more than seven decades. It was purchased in 1952 by John Lipscombe and his wife Dorothy, shortly after John returned from military service following the Second World War.

Since then, the shop has remained in the Lipscombe family, with three generations managing the Harold Hill location – John, then his son Hugh, and Hugh’s son James Lipscombe, who is now the company’s CEO.

Over the years, the Harold Hill shop has been far more than a place to pick up tea. It has been a first job for local teenagers, a reliable employer for families, and a familiar stop on Friday nights, celebrations, and “just because” visits. Families have grown up with it – and in some cases, within it.

Two such examples are the Carter and Goodgame families. They have seen up to four generations work behind the counter and for the business.  Paul Goodgame junior, starting his career in the shop as a kitchen porter, becoming the Managing Director of the business in 2020.

Another much-loved figure from the Goodgame family is Paul Goodgame snr.  Paul started at the shop at just 16 and recently retired after more than 50 years of service – a testament to the close-knit nature of the team and the pride taken in doing things properly.

From its roots in Harold Hill, Fish’n’Chick’n has grown into a national business, now owning and operating 35 fish and chip takeaways and restaurants across the UK – but the Hildene Avenue shop remains a special place in the company’s story.

A heartfelt thank you, and a promise to return

While the closure is necessary due to the building redevelopment, Fish’n’Chick’n says this is not goodbye, but a pause, with a clear plan to return in 2028 in a new, modern unit within the development.

James Lipscombe, CEO of Fish’n’Chick’n, said:
“Harold Hill is where so much of our story truly lives. This shop has served generations of local families, who have contributed so much to the success of the shop and our family business, from long-serving team members to families like the Carters and Goodgame’s.

We’re incredibly grateful for the loyalty and kindness our customers have shown us over the years. We also want to thank every single person who has worked in this shop.  The people who’ve turned up on busy nights, learned how to cook and serve great fish and chips, served neighbours and friends, and helped us maintain the standards we’re proud of.

It’s never easy to close a place that holds so many memories, but we are looking ahead with excitement, to open in our brand new shop. We reopen here in 2028 as part of the new development – continuing the tradition started by my grandparents John and Dorothy back in 1952, and will once again be proud to create local jobs for local people.”

A community cornerstone since 1952

For many local residents, the shop has been a constant – a place where staff know your order, where families stop in after school runs, football matches, or Friday evenings, and where “getting a chippy” is part of what makes Harold Hill feel like home.

Fish’n’Chick’n will share updates with customers throughout the transition period, including plans for the reopening as 2028 approaches.

Manager Nick Smith and his team invite everyone to come in and say hello/goodbye for now and enjoy the food they know and love before the store ceases trading on 13^th March.

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