Northern Fish Restaurant in Elgin celebrates 100 years in business
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ONE of Moray's oldest fish and chip shops is celebrating its 100th year.
The Northern Fish Restaurant on Elgin High Street has been serving locals since 1923 after it was founded by Italian immigrants.
After going through two separate owners from its foundation, the shop was eventually taken over by John Miele in 1953.
The Miele family were already very familiar with the shop after John's father Michael had a spell of managing it in 1929.
It has remained in the family's hands ever since with John's son Michael taking over in 1995.
Michael said: "The shop has been really good to us and the customers have been great.
"It wouldn't have made it to 100 years if it wasn't for the customers so I'm delighted that it's made it this far because my parents really put a lot of work into it.
"They took great pride in the shop. They had nothing really when they started off but they built it up and built it up to make it a success."
The shop's surroundings and its decor may have changed slightly over the years but much of the menu is still authentic and faithful to how it was at the beginning.
And its now 100 year motto - "quality service and hygiene" - is still strictly adhered to.
"We've still got a lot of the original items from the first menu," Michael said.
"Obviously we have a few additions now but the fish and chips is done the same way today as it was back then.
"Only the prices have changed really. You got 40 fish suppers for a pound back then."
With plans to retire on the horizon, Michael has put the shop up for sale which will bring seven decades of Miele family ownership to an end.
He admits he will be "sad to see it go" but says the time is right to step back.
"I'm reaching 70 now so the time is right," he said.
"It will be sad of course but I hope it continues as a fish and chip shop because there's a real history to the place.
"We had some really good laughs over the years.
"I remember we had a couple in their 80s in and the husband told us he proposed to his wife in the shop and he joked with us that he wished he had never come in.
"I remember another year when one of the waitresses came up to my dad and told him that somebody had hit his wife. He went round the back and punched one of these boys sitting at a table between the eyes and waitress said to my dad that it wasn't actually that man it was the other guy at the table.
"So absolutely I'll miss it. Every day was different."
