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Although this is the nation’s most popular dish, it is not a business that aspiring entrepreneurs usually jump to when looking to buy a business. The notions that some people have about a fish shop prevent them from considering it as a viable business option.

We, therefore, give you four myths about fish and chip shops and why these aren’t true. We also point out why running a fish and chip shop is a great business option.

1.    You need to be an expert

Despite what you may think, you don’t need to know much about running a fish and chip shop before you take it over.

Most fish and chip shop owners learnt how to run their shops once they bought them. There will always be quite a bit of on the job learning. You can also negotiate a handover period with the person that you buy the business from. This will give you the chance to really get to grips with how things are done. Alternatively there is the option to attend one of the popular 3 day Fish Frying courses run by the National Federation of Fish Friers in Yorkshire.

2.    You’ll be too busy to get to know your regulars

If you want to own your own business to be able to interact with people and get to know your customers, a fish and chip shop is ideal.

There are a lot of British people who make fish and chips a regular occurrence. There are even a lot of families that eat fish and chips once a week. Because of this, you will be able to get to know the people that come into your shop.

It’s not unusual for fish and chip shop owners to get to know their regular’s orders by heart!

3.    The market is saturated

There are a lot of fish and chip shops across the UK. It seems that there’s one on every corner!

While there are a lot of fish and chip shops in the UK, there is also a very high demand for them. If you are planning to run one, you will need to plan carefully and do your research to who your target market is. If you do this though, you should be able to make sure that your business fills a gap in the market.

Fish and chip shops appeal to all parts of the market- high and low. Because of this, there is room for multiple shops that provide different types of services.

4.    There’ll be no creativity

If you’re looking to be able to get creative with your business, you may be shying away from a fish and chip shop. This shouldn’t be the case, though!

This staple of British life has no end of possibilities when it comes to running your own place.

Some of the most noteworthy restaurants in London are fish and chip shops that have taken a whole new approach to the traditional fare. From the way that you serve it to the extras that go with it, you’ll be able to be as creative as you want to be.

By Jo Thornley, Head of Brand and Partnerships at Dynamis. Joining in 2005 to co-ordinate PR and communications and produce editorial across all business brands. She earned her spurs managing the communications strategy and now creates and develops partnerships between BusinessesForSale.com, FranchiseSales.com and PropertySales.com and likeminded companies.