Across Britain, the iconic fish and chip shop is struggling to stay alive with around 500 closing every year. But one Kent chippy is not only managing to stay afloat but seems to be thriving as it marks three decades in business.
As the country marks National Fish and Chip Day, senior reporter Joe Crossley visited Marino Fish Bar in Sittingbourne to find out the secret of their success…
For 30 years, hungry customers have been flocking to Marino Fish Bar, which sits in a prominent place along the busy A2 London Road in Sittingbourne.
Today, it’s run by a third-generation chip shop owner, Andreas Matheou.
But the Marino story started 60 years ago with his grandad, the late Peter Mackiallas.
It all began when he moved to Birmingham in the 1950s from the then British colony of Cyprus whilst in his 20s.
He emigrated from the Mediterranean island as it was ravaged by conflict between colonial troops and Greek-Cypriots wanting union with Greece.
After working in restaurant kitchens in the city, Peter went on to open Marino Fish Bar on Margate seafront in 1966, which he named after his beloved dad, Marino Mackiallas.
While Andreas was not born then, his family remembers Margate in its heyday.
“It was so busy,” the dad of three said. “Margate was a massive tourist attraction.
“My grandad used to say in the in-season months he would make enough money to buy another house every week.”
Since then, several Marino Fish Bar branches have popped up across the county over the years, including one opening in 1970 in Broadway, Maidstone – where McDonald’s is now today.
Peter’s son-in-law George Matheou, who married his daughter Florenza, was in charge of a branch in Folkestone.
The now 67-year-old sold that shop and took on a site in 1984 in Gravesend. His son, Andreas, was born in the flat above that chippy on November 2, 1986.
Andreas, who has worked for the family business for 22 years, said: “The business is in my DNA.
“My dad was still cooking fish and chips while my mum was giving birth upstairs, as she could not make it to the hospital.
“My first smell was fish and chips. They did take me and my mum to the hospital eventually.”
George took his young family back to his homeland, Cyprus, for four years after selling the Gravesend shop.
A year after returning to Kent, he opened the chippy in Sittingbourne – in what had been La Cassa Blanca restaurant – on May 28, 1996.
It wasn’t long until the now 39-year-old – who has two sisters, Niki, 37, and Raphaella, 32 – was starting to help out in the 212 London Road shop.
He was allowed to start peeling potatoes at the age of 10, and by the time he was 17, he was running the shop under the careful watch of his dad.
The dad of three, who has been married to his wife Andria for 16 years, says he remembers how busy things were.
He said: “Because there were no delivery options then, there would be big queues running out of our shop on a Friday and Saturday night.
“Now more people order food than visit the shop, although our dining area is still busy.
“Things were cheaper then. A portion of chips would cost a pound. Now it’s around £3.90.
“Fish has got really expensive. It was £4, and now it’s £10.90.
“Everything else has got expensive. Even myself, I used to be able to take my family out for dinner once a week, but now it’s maybe once a month.
“I remember when I first started to run things with my dad, and I said to him that he had to get rid of the awful tablecloths on the tables and the fish-themed curtains. They were terrible.”
Sarah Willmore, who started as a waitress but has worked her way up over the past decade to become manager, agrees.
The mum of two said: “I love working here and our team is like a family rather than work colleagues. I see Andreas more than my own husband.
“The main thing I have noticed change, though, is how much prices for everything have gone up.
“That is passed on to our customers.”
In a climate where 500 chip shops are closing every year, with around 9,000 left in the country, how has Marino in Sittingbourne – which is not a seaside town – survived?
“We have had to adapt constantly to stay open,” Andreas, who lives in Maidstone, explained.
“Fish and chips are still our best seller, but that has fallen. We used to sell 250 medium cod on a busy Friday and Saturday when I first started. Now that’s probably around 100.
“Young people don’t eat fish like they used to. So to cater to them, we are constantly changing our menu.
“Greek food is particularly popular, but we also do burgers, for example. We have to cater to everyone.
“When we opened, it was just fish and chips and sausages.”
Andreas and his 20 employees must be doing something right, as Marino Fish Bar has been nominated for three awards in the English Fish and Chip Awards 2026.
These are up for the best fish and chip shop in the south, the best menu and the best dine-in fish and chips.
Marino Fish Bar will find out whether they have won any of the awards at a ceremony in Manchester on Monday, June 22.
Andreas thanked his customers for their support. He said: “I promised in my Facebook post that if we win one award, I’m going to have a half-price day for all the customers so we can all celebrate together.
“We wouldn’t have been here 30 years if it wasn’t for our customers.
“So at the end of the day, it’s not just credit to me, it’s credit to the customers as well. We appreciate you, Sittingbourne, the community and our customers.”
