There’s a fresh look at Stonebridge roundabout in Longridge as two foodie establishments trade places.
Two local favourites, Stonebridge Fish and Chips and The Bridge Café, have officially swapped spots to better serve the Longridge community.
Owner Michelle Shevlin decided it was time for a change after seeing massive queues at her popular fish and chip shop every Friday night and other nights of the week.
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To manage the crowd and improve the layout, she flipped the locations of her two businesses.
After nearly a month of work, the new chippy officially opened on Tuesday 10 February, marking a massive upgrade for the business Michelle has owned since 2014.
Michelle told Blog Preston: “It’s a great space, I want to do new things on the menu but we’re just finding our feet at the moment you know, we’re getting used to the frying range, the old one had analogue dials and this one is digital so it’ll take a bit of getting used to.”
While the shop is brand new, it is rooted in Longridge’s history. Michelle’s connection to the shop goes back decades.
Michelle said: “I grew up in Longridge and I remember buying chips as a kid from the chippy next door when they were 11p.”
Even the equipment bridges the gap between generations, Michelle said: “The frying range in the old chippy was installed in 1983 and the same man who installed it in 1983 built my new frying range.”
The move wasn’t just about the customers, it was about making life better for the staff. One of the biggest changes was moving the ‘potato prep’ area from a cold outdoor shed into a renovated indoor space.
After the successful re-opening of the chippy, Michelle is starting work on the café.
She said: “The same builder who’s done up the chippy is also doing the cafe and they’re ripping it out tomorrow (12 February) and once we see the space, then we can figure out where we want the counter and how many tables and chairs we want.
“When the cafe opens up again we’ll be doing our breakfast that everyone loves but also different options. People can have the English breakfast but they can also have healthier options as well as the traditional options.
“Everybody loves our breakfast and I’ve had people coming in the chippy yesterday thinking they could get a breakfast here.”
With the café renovation starting this week, Michelle hopes to be back serving her famous breakfasts soon.
Until then, Longridge locals will have to wait just a little longer for their favourite breakfast, though the new chippy is ready and waiting to fill the gap.
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