It’s All Going Swimmingly For The Fishes

Edinburgh News:

AN Edinburgh couple who opened their first O’Briens sandwich bar franchise eight months ago have launched their fifth outlet.

Lee and Gill Fish are the Newington-based entrepreneurs behind the Irish sandwich giant’s 44th Scottish store, at the Gyle Shopping Centre. Their operating company, Fish Food, is heading towards a turnover of almost £2 million in its first full year of trading and its directors are already planning to expand further.

Mr Fish said he expected the Gyle operation to be Fish Food’s most successful O’Briens to date.

And he revealed plans for more franchises in the north of England and a shop within Glasgow’s International Financial Services District.

Mr Fish and his wife Gill employ around 50 staff across their five sandwich shops in key Scottish shopping centres.

They opened their first O’Briens in Almondvale Shopping Centre in Livingston last September.

That was quickly followed by a shop in McArthur Glen, also in Livingston, and since then they have launched branches in Glasgow Fort and Clydebank Shopping Centre.

Mr Fish, whose background is in marketing, said the Gyle franchise was set to be their busiest.

“When we opened last Thursday, we had done virtually no advertising so we could train staff without being too rushed, but the volume of customers was huge.

“We took as much money as we did in Almondvale and it is very strong,” he noted.

The MBA graduate said he was targeting shopping centres because, although rents were higher, there was guaranteed footfall.

“You have a captive audience and also shopping centres are unlikely to let a major competitor open next door.

“There are not the same guarantees on the high street.”