A popular fish and chip shop that once served up shark so people could 'get their own back' on Jaws when the hit movie was in the cinema is set to close its doors after more than 60 years. At the age of 84, owner Dennis Jackson said his advancing years, combined with spiralling costs, have prompted him to call it a day at Jackson's Chippie in Ilkeston.
He was a youthful 22-year-old when he started out in 1961 and when asked how many chips he's served over the decades, he answered: "Probably half of Lincolnshire." Four days a week Dennis arrives at the chip shop in Market Street at 7am to get the marrowfat peas on to heat, to prepare the fish, make the meat pies and chicken curry, and chip the potatoes.
"It's been very good. It's had its ups, its had its downs like businesses do but we have survived it so far but in the course of that 62 years that has put me into the 80s bracket. At the moment the catering industry is on a bit of a downer because of the utility bills - it's difficult to make it pay."
Keep up to date with all the latest food and drink news by signing up here
But he will be sad to say farewell. "It's a brilliant town, I'm not an Ilkestonian. They didn't know me when I came here but after 62 years they know me now."
After Mansfield-born Dennis left the Royal Air Force he quickly discovered that working in an office as a shorthand typist wasn't for him. Instead he began peeling spuds for his friend at the Manor Chip Shop in Stapleford and learned how to fry when the opportunity came along to open a takeaway in Ilkeston.
But it wasn't where he is now at number 54 Market Street. The first shop was a few doors away at number 39. Previously it has been the Noted Pie Shop. "That had been closed for some time so we got it at the right price," he said.
His fish and chips were a hit - especially with the pupils at two nearby schools. Chips were four pence in old money, fish a shilling, and a full house - chips, peas, fish, pie and gravy - was half a crown.
He was living in a flat above the shop until he met his wife Margaret and went on to have three sons. Harvey, Mark and Paul. "They have all worked in the shop but they moved away. I think it was something I might have said to the lads when they were at school. When it used to get busy I'd say you know when you've finished that homework, I want you up the shop to do three bags of taters," joked Dennis.
The 1970s weren't an easy decade. When decimalisation came in it 1971 it was a shock. Dennis said: "It was Marg's idea to change immediately so I organised two hourly classes for a week and six of us taught ourselves the ins and outs of it, helped along with a few bottles of Blue Nun, the drink of the day at that time, to ease the pain.
In 1973 the government introduced VAT and the response from the local MP at the time was "learn to live with it." Three years later Dennis closed the shop for a month - his very own 'great potato strike' to protest at a fivefold increase in the price of spuds.
It wasn't all doom and gloom in the 70s though. When Jaws came out at the Ritz Cinema in 1976 Jackson's Chippie allowed the people of Ilkeston to get their own back on the deadly predator.
"When Jaws came to the cinema we acquired a 4ft shark. We displayed it in a bath of ice and people came and had a look at it. Then we skinned it and we served it. People loved it, they were getting their own back on Jaws," said Dennis.
The chippy moved up the road in 1982. "The council decided to put an inner relief road up so they issued us with an order to come out. Fortunately 54 Market Street, which had been a solicitors' office, was available so we bought this and wheeled all the equipment up the street into the front door and we've been in here every since," he recalled.
The chippy's 40th anniversary was celebrated by rolling the prices back to 1961. Customers queued around the block to get their hands on a bag of chips for 2p and fish, chips and peas for 8p. The day raised more than £1,000 for Ilkeston Community Hospital - one of the good causes Dennis has raised money for over the years.
An avid cyclist, he used to challenge customers to guess the time it would take him to ride his bike to Skegness in an annual race. The winner got to munch their way through £30 worth of fish and chips, while he raised a princely sum for charity.
The last couple of years have been tough on all chippies with prices of supplies and energy bills rocketing. The price of fish went up by £100 in the space of a fortnight, while the shop's gas bill is set to quadruple.
"It was a bit of a shock. You can't absorb that sort of price increase so you'd just got to pass it on. That made my fish instead being £3.60 it went up to £6. We had to put £2.40 on it just to stand still," said the octogenarian.
Add on chips and it's currently £7.80. "I think it's cheap compared to other shops but for a lot of people it's made it too expensive so trade's not so good."
The great grandfather has already cut back on his hours. He leaves at 11am and his employees take over, frying for the lunchtime crowd. Dennis then returns at 3pm and fries until 8pm.
His wife Margaret helped in the shop until 20 years ago and she still washes all the aprons and T-shirts. Dennis said: "I think Margaret will be glad of the rest as well. She does a good job, she always has done.
"I suppose it's age that's getting to me and the annoyance that it's not what it used to be. It's difficult to make a profit. Everything just seems to be more of a struggle."
Jackson's Chippie will serve its final customers on Saturday, April 8. All the takings will be donated to the hospital and Dennis is hoping to break his fund-raising record.
"I've enjoyed it. Even though I'm not an Ilkestonian, they're good people. People like a joke and they are very generous as well. It's a friendly town, no matter what people think.
"It's been an exciting time. I can't say it's been boring - that's what's kept me here for so long. To be honest I do feel sad but age is a peculiar thing. Since I've been in my 80s, in cycling terms, it seems to be all uphill.
"There's no secret to it but I think when you do reach this age the thing not to do is stop so want I need to do is get back on the bike and plenty of gardening and eat less chips."
Employee Kayley Fisher, who has worked at the chippy for five years, said Dennis is like a second father. "He's brilliant. You can tell him anything, he's been there through a lot with me. He's like one of the girls. I will miss him. I feel sad, I've really enjoyed it here. It's not properly hit me at the minute but that last week I think there will be a lot of tears."
As for the future of the chippy, decked out in Dennis's favourite colour, orange, he doesn't want to sell it onto another fryer and is considering turning it into two apartments.
Hundreds of customers expressed their sadness at the chippy closing on the Facebook page Ilkeston Life. One woman said: "Ahh I’m sorry to hear this. We have loved this fish and chip shop for 30+ years. I remember coming in with my Grandad all that time ago. Dennis knowing him by name and giving me an ice pop as we waited in the queue and for our food. Travelling from Chilwell for the best fish and chips. What a great man and business, all the best."
The Burnt Pig micro pub commented: "So sad, hate the fact that you have had to shut. All the best Dennis, you will be greatly missed. You are part of a great town that has lost yet something else."
READ NEXT:
