The
QU to QUAY
Success
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Once the prosperous centre of the UK fishing industry, North Shields Fish Quay has seen a rapid decline over the past generation, with competition from imports and supermarkets, complex EU regulations and fickle market forces reducing the industry to a few dedicated businesses that still take pride in providing the very best seafood. Emma Winterschladen headed down to the Fish Quay to experience first hand all it has to offer locals and visitors today. From wet fish shops to great value restaurants, smart brasseries to traditional fish’n’chips, it seems the Fish Quay is experiencing an exciting new lease of life, one that mustn’t be missed...
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on the quality and quantity of the day’s catch. It really is a case of ‘no fish, no money’. Regrettably, Tony explains, the fish market is not as animated as it used to be, with at one time there being literally thousands of boxes of fish to be sold, now they’re lucky if there’s a few hundred. He is quick to add: ‘Regardless of its reduced size, North Shields Fish Market is still the place to go to guarantee the freshest fish, straight off the boats for us to sell to our customers’. It is true; watching the process first-hand – the short journey from market to shop – really does drive home that they, and indeed all the local fishmongers, have an unequivocal edge on the supermarkets. Counting celebrity chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the Hairy Bikers amongst their previous customers, with film crews having been in more than once, Taylors has built up a loyal customer base who are attracted by their years of experience in the trade, and dedication to providing the freshest fish available. It is of course à la mode to eat fresh and locally sourced produce, but there’s a reason for that. Mass produced food is rapidly falling from favour as
North Shields Fish Quay has a rich and fascinating history dating back to 1225 when the quay was built to serve the monks at the nearby Tynemouth Priory. Throughout its life it has undergone many changes; from a thriving fishing community and a hedonistic hub of debauchery and drinking, to the bustling, cleaner – in more ways than one – visitor hotspot of today. It is still a fundamental part of the cultural heritage of the North East and is synonymous with the regional identity of those who live there. Yet its glory days as the premier port of the North have certainly passed; at one time 70 trawlers were based at the Fish Quay and hundreds of boats passed through daily, but today the fleet has significantly dwindled, with a maximum of 20 fishing vessels still working here. Although the number of fish traders may have dropped, the Fish Quay is still the best place to head for seafood and, with a selection of fish merchants providing the freshest fish, alongside a wealth of expertise, experience and knowledge spanning the generations, it is perhaps a hidden gem of the North East. The scaling down of the North Shields’ fishing industry should not be mistaken for its demise. With around ninety percent of fish imported into the UK today it is easy to see why the demand for local fish has fallen; yet there is still a viable living to be made as people continue to buy fresh fish, and if it’s locally-sourced, all the better. The Fish Quay of today has had to adapt, but is still, albeit on a far smaller and more local scale, a significant player in the UK and foreign fishing trade: a major link in the UK/EU supply chain, it is the wise and experienced ‘old fisherman’ of the industry. It is through adjusting to market conditions, ECC regulations, supply and demand and current trends that the Fish Quay has been able to survive and even thrive in the current economic climate, but it is vitally important that we, as consumers, strive to support the local fishing 24 www.livingnorth.com
people start to embrace the need to support and sustain local businesses, but it’s true that also, now more than ever, people really do care about what they eat. We are inundated with quick and easy methods to buy, grow and cook great food which is economical, sustainable and local, not to mention delicious. It’s not surprising that food snobbery is starting to develop against mass processed and manufactured produce. With an abundance of fresh, competitively priced seafood quite literally on the doorstep, supermarket-bought produce, claustrophobically wrapped up in unnecessary packaging and with no guarantee of freshness, simply won’t do anymore. Buying your fish direct from the fish merchant not only ensures that you receive a personal service, value for money and an extensive choice, not to mention a great piece of fish at the end of it, but it also supports the livelihood of your local fishermen and ultimately, the economic prosperity of the community. Resident filleter at Taylors, Micky, has been in the fishing trade for over 50 years and his skills in fish filleting are nothing short of an art-form; he even prepared the salmon for the Queen on her most recent visit to the North East.
‘The fishing industry and the restaurants must be kept together – there has certainly been a swing to the food tourism side, but I think that’s fantastic’ Marti, Wights community. Fresh fish doesn’t have to be a rare treat or reserved for a novelty visit to the fish merchant when we’re lucky enough to have the luxury of a working fishing port so close to home. Taylor Seafood knows this better than anyone. Whether you are looking for a £5 bargain box of selected ‘catches of the day’, your favourite fillet of monkfish, salmon or tuna, or just browsing the varied and colourful daily displays, they have been serving the community for over 30 years, offering all the favourites; from crab, cod and haddock to the lesser known but equally delicious, versatile and often cheaper options such as coley and hake. Tony, one of the fishmongers at Taylors, believes many people just don’t know what the Fish Quay has to offer: ‘It’s a shame really, because obviously we rely a lot on word of mouth, but if people only knew what was on their doorstep – a wide range of fish, shellfish and seafood which is great value, not to mention far fresher and more environmentally sustainable than anything you can buy in the supermarkets – I’m sure they would get into the habit of coming to the Fish Quay to buy their fresh fish’. Taylor Seafood’s claim that their fish goes from ‘quay to counter in less than ten minutes’ could not be more true. At 7.30 every morning, the fish market commences with the local fish merchants eagerly eyeing up the daily catch. The auctioneering atmosphere certainly reinforces the unstable and capricious nature of the fish trade; boxes of fresh fish line the floor and the air is thick with excitement, frustration and unease as prices fluctuate daily, and rest solely www.livingnorth.com 25
Aside from the aforementioned wet fish shops, there is also a core of other thriving local businesses offering a wide range of services and goods on the Quay. Whether it’s smoked fish you’re after from J.R Fisheries, fish ‘n’ chips from Oceans or fresh crabs and langoustines from Lindisfarne Seafood, the Fish Quay won’t disappoint. The local smokehouse, Hewison Seafood, offer cured and smoked fish using the traditional Northumberland orange smoke for their kippers, not the yellow dye used in supermarket-bought fish. Speaking to the owner of Hewison it was fascinating to hear his take on why the kipper industry particularly has declined: ‘It’s a generation thing. Everyone used to have a kipper for breakfast, but when the Americans joined the Second World War they brought cereal over with them – cheap, bland, and it doesn’t smell your house out – that was that; the kipper was no longer a household staple.’
‘Taylor Seafood’s claim that their fish goes from “quay to counter in less than ten minutes” could not be more true’ Further up from the Fish Quay, and slightly off the beaten track, you’ll find Moir Seafoods, who deal mainly in wholesale exports to France, with lobsters, scallops, langoustines and crabs being their speciality. Paul, the owner, points out that he has seen an increase, through word of mouth, of people walking in, choosing a live lobster, and buying it there and then. To be able to see, first-hand, the concentration of Paul’s team, who work with military efficiency shelling prawns and scallops, is an experience in itself. The fact you can come away with a handpicked lobster is a bonus. Adaptation and diversification is key to the Fish Quay’s future and survival, as many of the locals will tell you. Fishing alone, whether it’s buying or selling, is now not enough to keep many 26 www.livingnorth.com
businesses afloat and there is the all too real possibility that small, family run companies will eventually die out if they do not embrace the changing identity of the Fish Quay and accommodate the eager crowds who flock there each weekend. The two are intrinsically linked, and are heavily dependent upon one another. In order to sustain the fishing industry whilst boosting tourism, both must work hand in hand. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as Marti from Wights, the traditional grocers and sweet shop that has been serving the fishing community since 1926, tells me; ‘The fishing industry and the restaurants must work together – there has certainly been a swing to the food tourism side, but I think that’s fantastic’. In Marti’s eyes, the Fish Quay as a visitor attraction is the future of the area, and he stresses that that doesn’t have to mean at the expense of the fishing industry. ‘The North East has an attraction, an allure – people want to be here, so let them!’ he exclaims before telling me the history of Wights. Marti has personally been supplying foodstuff for the fishing boats that were based at and passing through North Shields for 39 years, and has seen first-hand the shift from a fishing community to a food tourism industry. Marti’s love for and optimism about the Fish Quay is infectious; listening to his anecdotes and watching his affable chitchat with the customers who come in brings home how friendly the community here is. His shop is a time capsule of delicacies and sweets, which is how he sees the Quay’s community: ‘It’s like a time warp down here – everyone knows everyone, and all the businesses are extremely close-knit – always there to help each other out’. That is certainly clear to see; Wights seems to be at the core of the community, with old fishermen popping in for their daily paper, neighbouring businesses for change, and excited children for their pick’n’mix. I’m told by locals that Marti’s pease pudding has something of a celebrity status around here, alongside his selection of smoked and cured meats. They even sell game such as Rothbury pheasants and rabbits; it really is the epitome of a quaint and traditional village shop. Marti goes on to tell me how the opening of Kristian Fish next door to Wights thirty years ago set the ball rolling for drawing
the paying public to the Fish Quay. He explains: ‘We all thought he was mad – why would people want to come down here? But they did. Within nine months he had queues out the door, whatever the weather.’ And it’s the same today: now renamed Oceans, the recently reopened fish and chip restaurant has become a visitor attraction in itself. People travel from all over for the real ‘Fish Quay’ experience and at weekends the place is chockablock with happy wayfarers keen to tuck into fresh fish and chips whilst watching the world go by. Oceans are soon to open a smart coffee house just down the road called Aroma, selling Italian coffee and ice-cream, paninis, and wine; a much welcomed addition sure to add sophistication to the ever-growing reputation earned by the already numerous eating and drinking establishments. There is evidence of regeneration everywhere; from the soonto-open Heritage Centre guaranteed to inject the area with an exciting cultural and historical dimension, to the new restaurants popping up along the front, such as David Kennedy’s River Cafe with its innovative and well-priced menu. It is these very restaurants that are at the heart of the Fish Quay’s popularity today. The Sambuca restaurants have become synonymous with the Quay’s culinary scene and are the epitome of ‘cheap and cheerful’. Their rock bottom prices and delicious Italian cuisine consistently attract diners time and time again – so much so they have opened three restaurants on the Fish Quay alone! From the more upmarket Irvin’s Brasserie to tapas at The Quay Taphouse, traditional fish and chips at The Waterfront or an Italian pizza at Martino’s, you really are spoilt for choice. The fishing industry may be but a shadow of its former self, but the demand for fresh fish is still there. As Tony from Taylor Seafood puts it ‘we’ve been buying and selling fish for decades, and the Fish Quay has been doing it for centuries – we know what we’re doing.’ It is clear that word of mouth, customer loyalty and a community spirit spanning generations sustains many of the businesses here; there is no fancy advertisement to draw in crowds and the fact that it remains a hub of activity each weekend speaks volumes for its timeless, if ever-changing appeal to both locals and tourists.
Taylor Seafood’s Top Ten Fish The experts at Taylor Seafood share their favourite fresh fish Plaice A popular orange-spotted flat sea fish, plaice has a mild, sweet flavour Lemon Sole The white flesh of lemon sole is both delicate and sweet. Oven baked with sage and butter, it makes an easy, quick family supper John Dory Though a little odd looking with a large spiny head, the white, boneless, meaty flesh of John Dory (also known as St Peter’s fish) is firm and flavoursome Pollock A white and flaky fish that is an excellent substitute for cod. It is incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in curries, pies, or made into fishcakes Hake Hake is quite a mild fish, with a white flaky texture and a flavour that is more subtle than that of cod. Try pan-frying it with robust flavours such as garlic, paprika and chorizo sausage
Cod Incredibly popular, cod is commonly enjoyed battered and served with chips. Its white flesh is mild in flavour and flaky in texture Haddock Second only to cod in popularity, haddock is a much smaller fish with a sweeter flavour. It can be grilled, baked or poached and goes well with tartare sauce Turbot A superior fish, its firm flesh is easily poached and best paired with simple flavours such as lemon, thyme and rosemary Brill A sweet-tasting flat fish closely associated with turbot. Its firm texture makes it ideal for pan frying Monkfish A unique, firm-textured, meaty white fish that does not flake. Remove the (rather ugly looking) head and cook it with strong flavours like chilli, soy and ginger
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