Fife fishmonger marks two special milestones at shops in Kirkcaldy and Burntisland

Already with an established fishmonger shop a few miles down the road on Burntisland High Street, owner Calum Sinclair decided to take the plunge and open a second shop in Kirkcaldy in October last year.

It has recently marked its first year of trading in the High Street.

It celebrated the milestone by offering a pop-up oyster bar and teaming up with Jake Street Food to serve some dishes with products from the fishmonger’s at a pop-up shop outside the premises.

Calum said their first year in Kirkcaldy has been fantastic: “We started trading at the Artisan Market and that let us see there was scope for a business there and every week since we have been in Kirkcaldy the shop has got busier and busier which is great.

"It has been a really positive first year. It has been challenging with Covid, particularly when we opened in October and then we were locked down in the winter, but it was the only the wholesale side of the business which took the hit, the retail side has stayed strong.

“We had always been planning on coming to Kirkcaldy but I had been holding out for the right unit. As soon as I saw it, it just made sense.”

He said with the wholesale side of the business they also supply over 60 restaurants – taking products to fish markets down south – keeping the stock rotating and fresh.

Calum continued: ”We can’t believe it’s been a year already. We are lucky to have such an amazing base of customers who have continued to support us. It’s thanks to them we have been able to expand our product offering to include Artisan bread from Sunrise Bakehouse and an extensive plastic-free offering.

"Although our fish and shellfish selection has remained a firm customer favourite our deli selection has come in a close second.”

The fishmonger is also marking ten years at its base in Burntisland High Street which opened on October 28, 2011.

Calum said it was his friend John Imrie who started the Burntisland shop a decade ago with Calum and John’s brother Mike taking over the business two years later.

"I have been in the business eight years and John now runs his own wholesale business in St Monans and we work closely together,” he said.

"I had originally thought about getting a fish van but then saw an opportunity with the shop in Burntisland.

"When I started out it was myself and Mike working 16-18 hour days every day, but there are 14 staff in the business now.

"There has never been a year when the turnover has gone down at the Burntisland shop, it has increased every single year.”

He added: “It hasn’t been easy, particularly the past couple of years and we have had to adapt including putting in new hygiene practices but I wouldn’t change it – it has been a good journey so far.”

Calum said they are planning a staff party to mark the ten-year anniversary and offering a cheese tasting and oyster bar at the Burntisland shop for customers at the end of next week.

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