No one could have anticipated how the last few weeks have unfolded and we would like to thank the fish and chip industry for responding very quickly and professionally in these tough times.

We have all had to make many decisions and changes which affect all our businesses during this initial phase of the crisis.

Fish and chip shop operators have used the guidance that we have collated to make informed choices and have protected their customers and employees safety while also protecting the reputations of their business and the wider industry by either closing or trading with a family team.

As we look ahead to the next phase, which could see a long period of social distancing, the NFFF will continue to work with its members. We will all be trying to find new working practices, and the NFFF will constantly communicate with shops and share this information to assist operators to trade in this new environment.

This will include employing new social distancing practices both for customers and employees together with using new technologies to enable online ordering and a streamlining services to protect the welfare and health of all stakeholders and the existing reputations of business.

These new practises will help smooth out peak times in business however, these new practises do take a little time to get used to and we recommend starting with less collection slots and expanding once you feel safe to so do.

Throughout all of this, please remember safety has to be paramount.

From an NFFF perspective I would like to thank all our members and associate members who continue to support us, and we welcome the many new members who have come on board in recent times. The network we have is what will enable us to come back stronger than ever.

This crisis has really spotlighted the role which the NFFF performs and its place in the industry, this work goes on week in week out and has done since 1913.

Without members the NFFF would not be able to support the fish and chip industry as we do. If you were not a member before Covid-19, we hope you can now see the benefits of joining as together we are stronger as one.

Andrew and the NFFF Board