The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Fast-food takeaway has its first flush of success
Harbourview is the new kid on the Arbroath takeaway scene, but it is very much making its mark as customers form long queues to try out the food on offer.
If you have been down to Arbroath’s harbour area recently then you will likely have seen huge queues along Old Shorehead.
People aren’t waiting in line to grab tickets for a big event or gig though, they are all keen to try out the tasty fare at the newest takeaway in town.
Since opening four weeks ago, the team at the venture, which is based in a converted former public toilet block, have been staggered by the number of customers and the popularity of the food and drinks on offer.
The brainchild of Arbroath businessmen
Graeme Gersok, from the Townhouse Hotel, and Clive Jones, who operates Peggy’s in the town, the enterprise has enjoyed a promising start.
And Harbourview manager Beth Hodgens has loved every minute of it.
She said: “There have been lots of big queues so we have had to be careful with social distancing, but that’s what you have to do just now.”
Beth, 20, was delighted
when Graeme gave her a call asking her to take on her first managerial job.
“The takeaway used to be a toilet, then it got renovated and Graeme and Clive took it over,” she revealed.
“Graeme asked me what I was doing and I said was at university and was working at Peppo’s (fish and chip shop), but it was shut at the time.
“I came down for a look and I was so surprised at
how big it was inside. We got ourselves together and sorted things out. This is my first time properly managing a team, but I am really enjoying myself. It’s been a good challenge.”
The trio of Beth, Clive and Graeme all got together with chef Nick Ritchie to work out what Harbourview was going to offer – and if early indications are anything to go by it looks like they have got it right.
Beth added: “We brainstormed ideas and Nick made some stuff so we could try it.
“He has his own recipes for burgers, macaroni and other dishes so it was ideal because he brought his ideas as well. I’ve worked with food but I’ve never been a chef so it was good to see what he came up with.
“Clive and Graeme are the two perfect people to do something like this as Graeme has the customer
and dining experience and Clive has the busy takeaway experience with Peggy’s and getting people in.
“It’s perfect and you couldn’t actually ask for a better squad of people.
“In the morning we have bacon rolls, black pudding rolls, black pudding and egg – they just fly.
“The macaroni is really popular as are the burgers and we are about to start doing chicken burgers as well.
“We have milkshakes, too, which have been flying out the door as well.
“And it has to be good quality food as well. We get all our meats from DH Robertson the butcher and keeping it local as much as we possibly can.”
With foreign holidays unlikely to be on the agenda this summer, Beth and her team at Harbourview are ready to welcome an anticipated influx of visitors.