Scottish-style fish and chip shop opens after two-year wait

A traditional Scottish-style fish and chip shop has opened its doors after a two-year wait.

The Frying Scotsman served its first customers on Monday, 9 Feb., after a ribbon cutting by Jay Ebanks, the planning minister.

He was backed by Deputy Premier Gary Rutty and Cabinet Minister Isaac Rankine.

Owner Mike Laurenson, a Cayman businessman originally from Scotland, said afterwards, “It was really good. I’m very grateful and thankful the ministers came and that they offered to help us open for business.

“They all ate something, too, and they loved it.”

Chris Morash, Laurenson’s head of operations, added, “There were a good few people waiting outside when we opened the doors. The future is bright – and battered.”

The store’s sign has been in place for more almost two years, but residual COVID-19 supply chain problems and technical difficulties with equipment contributed to delays in getting the business off the ground.

But Laurenson, who has lived in Cayman for 30 years, said the sign had led to a flood of messages on social media asking when it would open, which had helped build anticipation.

“In some ways, it’s been a good thing. It’s certainly intrigued people. I’ve been getting two or three thousand messages a week sometimes asking what’s happening with it,” Laurenson said.

“I am so thankful we got through it and we’re now able to open.”

Among the first customers at the Marquee Plaza shop on Lawrence Thompson Boulevard was Cayman resident Dave Kelly, originally from England, and a seasoned fish and chips man.

“It’s top notch. The chips are proper and the batter is legit. I’d give it 10 out of 10,” Kelly said, adding, “I’ve been driving past it for two years looking at it and checking every couple of months if it was open yet.”

Friend Chandra Guilfoyle said, “I loved it. It was very, very good. I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I loved it. It was all tasty. I have no complaints.”

Boyhood ambition

Laurenson said earlier, “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to own a fish and chip shop.

“It’s not about making money; it’s just something I’ve always wanted to do. But I know it’s going to be a goldmine.”

Laurenson, who has interests in bars, restaurants, the security industry and owns Elite Marble and Granite and Thistle Construction, said he and wife Lindsay, who masterminded the details of the shop, had gone to great pains to get the details right.

The frying equipment came from a top UK supplier and the shop even carries traditional chip shop brown sauce, mushy peas, pickled onions and Scottish soda Irn-Bru, dubbed “Scotland’s other national drink”.

Haddock, cod and other varieties of fish, fried in authentic batter, are available.

A special machine to cut British-style thick chips to the correct length and shape has also been imported.

Laurenson said, “This is proper authentic fish and chips. Anyone who’s ever been in a British fish and chip shop will walk in and recognise it.”

‘Massive appeal’

“It’s going to have a massive appeal. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s going to be worth it,” Laurenson predicted.

“I’ve been trying to do this for 20 years, but I could never get the right premises or it was never the right time.”

Laurenson said he had trademarked the name in the Caribbean and set it up for franchising with an aim to spread The Frying Scotsman across the Caribbean, with the Bahamas and Jamaica first in line.

The name is a pun based on the Flying Scotsman, a famous 1920s British steam train which was at the time the fastest in the world.

Laurenson praised Lindsay, whose devotion to getting it right meant the opening was delayed a further month because she refused to open the shop, in the former Quiznos sandwich shop location, until she was sure the chips and batter were up to scratch and consistently perfect.

Laurenson said, “She knocked it out of the park. I’m very proud of her and her team – they’ve done an amazing job.”

He added, “We are going to go different places with it. But our biggest hurdle is getting the first one open and making it go where we want it to go.”