Western Daily Press (Saturday)
When the chips are down, it’s the quality that counts for everything
Mark Taylor discovers that consistency and a focus on customers are the secret ingredients behind a long-running fish and chip shop’s success
WE’RE here to keep a tradition going,” says Adam Papa, proudly looking around his Weston-super-Mare fish and chip shop.
The takeaway and restaurant is still busy 30 years after he first opened the doors, and he’s quick to tell me why.
“Fish and chips has to be traditional – there are so many different fads out there, but why change things?” he asks.
“You want fish and chips to taste the same as when you first ate it as a small child, you want the same experience. You can’t modernise fish and chips, it’s one of our classic meals.”
A few days before interviewing Adam – known to many as simply ‘Papa’ – I ate at the restaurant.
In the timeless back room with its walls plastered with signed celebrity photographs, I tucked into a plate of cod and chips as good as any I’ve tasted.
The cod was thick-flaked and juicy beneath the thin layer of golden batter. The chips had been hand-cut and were steaming hot inside, with
I like to feel we’re a big part of Weston – people can go for a nice stroll along the promenade or pier and then get some fish and chips from Papa’s. It’s the whole package and part of the Weston experience ADAM PAPA
crunchy edges, the curry sauce served in an old-school metal gravy jug.
So, what are the secrets of the perfect fish and chips? Adam says it’s all about the raw materials.
“The ingredients are everything. The fish is fresh and either from Scotland or the south coast, depending on the market and price that day,” he says.
“Plaice, cod, haddock, it’s very good quality and it’s all sustainable. We use Maris Piper potatoes which we make into chips every day on the premises.
“We cook it at a very high temperature and we use pure vegetable oil. But the batter recipe is top secret – I never give that away.
“The batter is light and thin – that’s essential because we want the fish to cook at the same time as the batter rather than separately. What you get is a prime fillet of fish with a very fine coating of crisp batter – you want to be able to taste the fish and not just have a thick layer of batter.”
During my lunch at Papa’s I couldn’t stop staring at the walls of well-known faces who have been to the restaurant and then provided signed photos.
Many of these celebrity customers have popped into Papa’s when appearing at the nearby Playhouse theatre or have been in town for filming.
Next to my table, there were photos of Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket, Only Fools and Horses star David Jason and funnyman Sean Lock who died last year.
Adam says: “The celebrities are all so lovely and I only put their pictures up because they have helped out with any charity fundraising we do. Basically, you gotta pay to go up on the wall!
“They’ll come in for their fish and chips and I’ll tap them up for a couple of quid towards charity and they all help. The money goes towards the charities we’re supporting at the time, whether it’s CLIC, the British Heart Foundation or the local hospice.
“Sean Lock was a regular customer and he was such a lovely man. He came in for his fish and chips every time he was doing a show in town and there would be some great banter with me and the staff.”
Like all small businesses, Papa’s has faced a challenging couple of years with the pandemic but Adam stresses he was luckier than many because he could open for takeaway food unlike many hospitality venues. He’s also grateful for the support of locals.
“We’ve had incredible support from our regular customers; they’ve been supporting us for the past 30 years. We’ve also had wonderful support post-pandemic.
“That’s not to say it has been easy though. We were really restricted as to how we could work as a catering establishment and restaurant but serving takeaways was a lifesaver.”
Although Adam opened Papa’s in Weston 30 years ago, the business predates that. Adam’s father Phodios started the first Papa’s in Kent in 1966 and went on to run others around the UK.
Phodios died in 2006 but Adam is continuing his father’s legacy and his own son, Dagi, has recently joined the family business after working in finance in London.
Adam says: “My father came to the UK from Cyprus when he was about 11. His older brother was already here and he wanted to be educated in the UK.
“His brother and his wife brought him up in London and then my father worked in Brick Lane and Portobello Market. He became a telecommunications engineer and worked on the Post Office tower – he was one of the first engineers on the
project and basically ran the show.
“He met my mum in the Midlands and decided he wanted to start his own business and then started a greengrocers in Birmingham in 1958. He then moved to Kent where he had two other older brothers and they started opening businesses together – hotels, ice-cream parlours, souvenir shops – and then established Papa’s in 1966.”
Adam moved to Weston 31 years ago when he met his wife, who’s from the town, and then decided to open a branch of Papa’s in Waterloo Street. He’s particularly proud that many of his customers are still coming back after three decades.
“We have several generations now – we’ve got grandparents with their children who now bring along their children. It’s incredible how it has come around in 30 years and it has been an amazing journey.
“I like to feel we’re a big part of Weston – people can go for a nice stroll along the promenade or pier and then get some fish and chips from Papa’s. It’s the whole package and part of the Weston experience.
“My father was instrumental and
influential in our lives. He had strong principles, worked hard and told me you had to be honest with the product you serve.
“He said it was paramount to give people the best quality you can. You give them the best service and you keep your shop immaculate.
“We’ve got an amazing team at Papa’s and they share the same passion. They love and respect where they work and it shows and that’s part of the success and longevity of Papa’s.
“Some of my staff have been with me since day one. I couldn’t do this without Sean, Pui, Chris, Sheila, Mo, Desana, Julia, Matheus and now my son, Dagi.”
And despite all the celebrity customers who queue for their cod and chips, Adam says it’s more about the Weston people who come back week after week, year after year.
“We win lots of awards and accolades but we don’t like to blow our own trumpet. The fact we have customers coming back after 30 years is the best recognition for what we do,” he says.
“Yes, we have a lot of celebrities and that’s lovely but it’s our regulars that matter the most as they are the most loyal, interesting, kind people and we learn so much from them, especially our older customers, who are people with dignity and class.
“My father was humble, hardworking and had a strong work ethic of getting your head down to the job and do your best.
“He always used to say ‘never think you’re above anyone or below anyone’ – I think that’s a good philosophy. That and looking after your staff well.
“I like to think my father would be proud of the fact we have been going for 30 years. Now, we just want to take Papa’s onto the next generation.”