Colmans Fish and Chips
Colmans Fish and Chips is a family-owned traditional fish and chip restaurant business founded in 1905, operating three locations in the North East of England (South Shields flagship, Seafood Temple, and Fenwick Newcastle concession) plus online ordering and delivery, serving local consumers and visitors seeking sustainable, high-quality British fish and chips.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1905
- HeadquartersSouth Shields, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Colmans Fish and Chips does
Colmans Fish and Chips is a family-owned traditional British fish and chip restaurant business founded in 1905 and headquartered on Ocean Road in South Shields, United Kingdom. The company operates three physical locations: the original flagship restaurant at 176-186 Ocean Road (operating since 1926), Colmans Seafood Temple (opened 2017 inside the historic Ghandis bandstand on South Shields Beach), and Colmans at Fenwick — a concession inside the Fenwick Newcastle department store that launched as a trial in March 2025 and became permanent on February 28, 2026. The business serves general consumers and families seeking high-quality traditional fish and chips, with a walk-in dine-in policy at Ocean Road and additional takeaway, click-and-collect, and home-delivery service.
The company's product is built around traditional culinary craft rather than proprietary technology. Core offerings are wild fish sourced from sustainable fishing grounds, fried in additive-free vegetable oil, with leftover oil recycled into biofuel. Colmans was the first Fish and Chip shop in England to gain MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification and the first winner of the Good Catch Award for sustainability. The technology stack is minimal: a Preoday-powered online ordering platform for click-and-collect and delivery within a 3-mile radius, plus standard website and social media presence (Twitter, Facebook, TripAdvisor). There are no proprietary software systems, AI capabilities, or app products disclosed.
The revenue model is straightforward restaurant and takeaway operations across three locations. Pricing is menu-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through physical storefronts and an online ordering channel, supplemented by a channel-partner relationship with Fenwick for the Newcastle concession. The company is privately held by the Colman family across five generations under the leadership of owner Richard Ord, with no external investors, parent company, or PE backing identified. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.
Colmans Fish and Chips firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Colmans Fish and Chips
- Legal name
- Colmans Fish & Chips Ltd.
- Website
- https://colmansfishandchips.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1905
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Colmans Fish and Chips is a family-owned traditional fish and chip restaurant business founded in 1905, operating three locations in the North East of England (South Shields flagship, Seafood Temple, and Fenwick Newcastle concession) plus online ordering and delivery, serving local consumers and visitors seeking sustainable, high-quality British fish and chips.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Colmans Fish and Chips industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Fish and Seafood Retailers (44525), Fish and Seafood Retailers (445250)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Breaded/Battered & Fried Seafood Products (Frozen Convenience) (AFANADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Seafood Markets & Fishmongers (CRAHAHAC)
Keywords
Where Colmans Fish and Chips is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Shields
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Colmans Fish and Chips business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Restaurant Dining: Colmans operates as a dine-in fish and chip restaurant at its Ocean Road, South Shields location and at its Fenwick Newcastle concession. Customers are seated on a walk-in basis (no reservations taken at Ocean Road).
- Takeaway and Delivery: Colmans offers takeaway service with online ordering for collection or delivery. The restaurant has dedicated takeaway hours and partners with delivery couriers for home delivery within a specified radius.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Colmans Fish and Chips product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Colmans Fish and Chips operates traditional fish and chip restaurants serving dine-in, takeaway, and home-delivery customers from locations in South Shields and Newcastle, North East England. The business sells wild fish from sustainable fishing grounds fried in additive-free vegetable oil, complemented by locally sourced produce and a seafood-focused menu. It supplements its physical restaurants with an online ordering service for click-and-collect and courier delivery within a roughly three-mile radius of the Ocean Road branch.
Product overview
Colmans Fish & Chips operates as a multi-location traditional fish and chip restaurant business with three distinct establishments: the flagship Ocean Road restaurant in South Shields (operating since 1926), the Colmans Seafood Temple (opened 2017 in a historic beachfront bandstand), and the Colmans at Fenwick concession in Newcastle (launched 2025, made permanent 2026). The company also offers an online ordering and delivery service as an add-on capability. All locations emphasize sustainable sourcing, wild fish from managed fishing grounds, and traditional preparation methods.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Colmans Seafood Temple: Seafood restaurant opened in 2017, located in the local landmark 'Ghandis Temple' on South Shields Beach.
Products and services
- Colmans Fish & Chips Ocean Road Restaurant The original flagship restaurant at 176-186 Ocean Road, South Shields, serving traditional fish and chips and a seafood-focused menu to walk-in dine-in and takeaway customers on a no-reservation basis.
- Colmans Seafood Temple A seafood restaurant opened in 2017, located in the local landmark 'Ghandis Temple' (a 1931-built bandstand on South Shields Beach), offering Colmans' seafood-focused menu in a beachfront setting.
- Colmans at Fenwick Newcastle Concession A permanent concession inside Fenwick's Newcastle department store, Colmans' first location outside South Tyneside, offering fish and chips and seafood to department store visitors and shoppers in central Newcastle.
- Online Ordering for Collection and Delivery Preoday-powered online ordering service that lets customers select dishes, pay securely online, and choose either collection from the Ocean Road branch or home courier delivery within approximately three miles.
Companies that use Colmans Fish and Chips
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Colmans Fish and Chips technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Colmans Fish and Chips partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Fenwick (Newcastle)coreColmans has a concession inside Fenwick's Newcastle department store. The partnership launched in March 2025 as a trial and became permanent from February 28, 2026. The expansion was backed by a six-figure investment and marked Colmans' first move outside South Tyneside. The partnership reportedly welcomed thousands of visitors and created dozens of jobs, arriving during Colmans' centenary year celebrations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Colmans Fish and Chips competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Magpie Cafe: Long-established, award-winning fish and chip restaurant in Whitby operating as a destination seaside dining spot. Comparable on product mix and emphasis on freshly prepared, quality seafood.
- Wright Brothers: UK oyster bar and seafood restaurant group with multiple sites, comparable as a quality-led seafood restaurant chain emphasising provenance and sustainable sourcing.
- Harry Ramsden's: Iconic British fish and chip chain founded in 1928 with a similar heritage positioning and traditional fish and chip core offering. The most directly comparable peer in the UK fish and chip restaurant category.
- Rockfish: UK seafood restaurant group founded by Mark Hix operating multiple casual and dine-in seafood restaurants, primarily in southern England. Directly comparable as a multi-site UK seafood restaurant brand.
Regional players
- Franco Manca: UK casual restaurant chain built around a focused, quality-led menu. Comparable as a single-category casual dining brand operating across UK regional markets, though in the pizza category.
- Prezzo: Multi-site UK casual restaurant chain operating across regional UK high streets. Comparable in multi-site casual dining operations and high-street footfall dynamics, though in the Italian category.
- Honest Burgers: UK casual restaurant chain built around quality ingredients and provenance in a single menu category. Comparable as a quality-focused UK casual dining brand with similar single-category menu emphasis.
Broad incumbents
- Wagamama: Large UK casual dining chain built around fresh, sustainably sourced food. Comparable as a national casual dining operator with similar quality and provenance positioning, though in a different cuisine.
- Rick Stein's Restaurants: Well-known UK seafood-focused hospitality brand with a broader portfolio (restaurants, cookery school, retail products). Comparable in seafood category leadership but at materially larger scale and national footprint.
- Bill's: UK casual dining chain with multiple regional locations and a quality-focused, provenance-led menu. Comparable as a multi-site UK casual restaurant brand, though with a broader menu mix.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Colmans Fish and Chips social profiles
Digital presenceColmans Fish and Chips compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Colmans Fish and Chips financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Colmans Fish and Chips leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Colmans Fish and Chips funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Colmans Fish and Chips M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Colmans Fish and Chips
What does Colmans Fish and Chips do?
Colmans Fish and Chips operates traditional fish and chip restaurants serving dine-in, takeaway, and home-delivery customers from locations in South Shields and Newcastle, North East England. The business sells wild fish from sustainable fishing grounds fried in additive-free vegetable oil, complemented by locally sourced produce and a seafood-focused menu. It supplements its physical restaurants with an online ordering service for click-and-collect and courier delivery within a roughly three-mile radius of the Ocean Road branch.
Is Colmans Fish and Chips a public or private company?
Colmans Fish and Chips is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Colmans Fish and Chips founded?
Colmans Fish and Chips was founded in 1905. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Colmans Fish and Chips based?
Colmans Fish and Chips is headquartered in South Shields, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Colmans Fish and Chips make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Dining is the primary driver. The others are takeaway and Delivery.
Who are Colmans Fish and Chips's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Magpie Cafe, Wright Brothers, Harry Ramsden's and Rockfish. Regional players are Franco Manca, Prezzo and Honest Burgers. Broad incumbents are Wagamama, Rick Stein's Restaurants and Bill's.
Does Colmans Fish and Chips have an API?
No public API is recorded for Colmans Fish and Chips.
What industry is Colmans Fish and Chips in?
Colmans Fish and Chips's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFANADAH, Breaded/Battered & Fried Seafood Products (Frozen Convenience), with a secondary code of CRAHAHAC, Seafood Markets & Fishmongers. Its NAICS code is 44525 and its SIC code is 5810.