Latest news with #Rockfish
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
UK's 'most beautiful town' has tourists mistaking it for Greece
The UK boasts some stunning coastal towns, but one spot in Devon has been hailed as the nation's most beautiful place, with some people comparing it to Greece If you're looking for a taste of the Greek Islands in the UK, look no further than Devon. The charming coastal town of Dartmouth has been hailed as one of the UK's finest, drawing comparisons to the Mediterranean's scenic beauty. As a popular holiday destination, Devon attracts a large number of tourists each year, but Dartmouth stands out for its breath-taking scenery and offerings, reports DevonLive. Travel blogger Sarah Hagan - known online as sarahkhagan - shared her experience of the town on TikTok, describing it as the "most beautiful town in the UK" in a viral video. The comments section of her TikTok post was filled with praise for Dartmouth's exceptional charm, with one user saying: "Most beautiful place in the UK I've ever been to." Another commented: "Favourite view ever!" Some were so taken aback by Dartmouth's allure that they questioned its location, with one person saying: "THAT'S DEVON?! It looks like Greece in my opinion." Dartmouth combines stunning coastal beauty with a rich history, boasting an incredibly picturesque harbour that serves as a hub for activities, including fishing and sailing yachts. Things to do Just a little outside of Dartmouth, you'll find Blackpool Sands, a secluded private corner of the coast. But this isn't your average seaside spot, offering visitors the chance to truly unwind in its Seaside Sauna. Alternate between the invigorating salt water and the tranquil retreat from the outside world's hustle and bustle. For those who love a bit of action, paddle boards or kayaks are available for hire, or you can join a guided tour around the coast. Merging historical buildings with picturesque river locations and the South Devon countryside, you're whisked away to an entirely different world. Dartmouth Castle should be one of your first stops. Overlooking the harbour entrance, Dartmouth Castle may just boast the most scenic setting of any fortress in the UK. The castle saw action during the Civil War and remained in service right up until WWII. If maritime and naval history is of strong interest, you can explore the town's Royal Naval College, where navy officers have been trained since 1863, and get a glimpse of HMS Britannia moored in the River Dart. A stroll around the town will inevitably lead you to Dartmouth Harbour, the heart of the South Devon town, where up to 3,000 moorings can be seen during the autumn months. It's also the ideal spot to stop and indulge in some fish and chips. Food and drink Nestled in the bustling harbour, the award-winning Rockfish is a gem for seafood enthusiasts, offering fresh local catches that have earned rave reviews on TripAdvisor. Savour their fresh and sustainable fish and chips while soaking up views of Bayard's Cove. For those preferring to dine indoors, Rockfish boasts a restaurant with stunning vistas over the River Dart. Celebrity Masterchef fans might recognise the establishment's founder and CEO, Mitch Tonks, who has previously appeared as a guest judge on the show. The Rockfish menu is marked by the day's availability and prices of market fish from a list of seasonal, sustainably caught seafood and shellfish. The menu will be led by what has been landed by the fleet in Brixham that morning. Then, your choice of fresh fish will be cooked to order and served with your choice of Cornish new potatoes, a green salad or unlimited chips. For those in pursuit of an even more heightened dining experience, Michelin Guide experts recommend The Angel of Dartmouth. Helmed by Executive Chef Elly Wentworth, known from BBC's Great British Menu, this modern British spot dazzles with globally inspired cuisine. The restaurant offers a variety of dining experiences, depending on your budget. There is an exceptional tasting menu as well as a Sunday lunch service depending on your appetite. If you're in the mood for a tipple, Dartmouth's most popular spot is Bar 1620, nestled at the heart of the harbour. For a laid-back time with stunning views of the town whilst sipping on a cocktail or two, make your way here. Bar 1620 boasts an impressive selection of cocktails - both the classics and some unique 1620 creations - as well as a draft master keg system that dispenses the freshest, coldest pints around.
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
The rise of the digital fishmonger: how Covid helped customers buy fresh from the boat
The seafood chef and restaurateur Mitch Tonks recalls the moment things for him changed dramatically. It was March 2020, the start of Covid, when a local fishing boat skipper called him in a panic. 'Nick was having a tough time; nobody was buying his catch, so I emailed our customer network,' he says. Tonks asked people to bring cash and containers. The next morning, Nick landed his boat at Brixham, the south Devon port that is England's largest fish market by value of catch sold. 'About 150 people turned up to buy his fish. Many asked 'why can't we just buy fish straight off boats like this normally?'' 'That was my lightbulb moment,' says Tonks. 'The seafood retail industry is pretty broken: so much fish gets wasted; supermarkets are closing their fish counters. So I've worked backwards from the problems to streamline a very clunky supply chain.' Fortuitously, a year earlier he had built a dedicated premises at Brixham, next door to the fish market, to be able to bring fish direct to his own restaurants from the boats. But it was the pandemic that became the catalyst to enable home delivery – and now customers buy directly from the quayside through his company Rockfish's online seafood market, a digital fishmonger platform that supplies 12,000 homes with fish. Tonks is far from alone. Five years ago, with fish markets and restaurants closed, it looked like the end of the line for many fishers and fishmongers – then something changed. A combination of word-of-mouth and social media gave some of those who fish off the UK's shores the chance to reach new customers, resulting in new business models that have brought about a long-term shift in how some British fish is sold today. Mike Warner, a Suffolk-based seafood consultant, saw his business come to 'a grinding halt' during the pandemic, so he pivoted quickly. 'With fish markets closed, nobody could get any fish. But the sea bass season was about to begin on 1 April – that's a premium catch so I started working with Felixstowe fishermen.' He borrowed a van, arranged a licence, then drove their catch to independent fishmongers in London. 'I'd arrive at Rex Goldsmith, the Chelsea fishmonger in Cale Street, or the Notting Hill Fish Shop with a load of bass or lobster at 9am. There'd be queues of people, all socially distanced, waiting for us – it was quite something,' Warner says. 'London was like the set of a disaster movie – there was nobody there. It was an odd time, but a very lucrative time.' Once fish markets reopened, Warner could not compete with the buying power of mainstream suppliers. As that 'golden time' of lockdowns ended, he switched to supplying local restaurants and opened a fishmongers in Woodbridge, but not all fish retailers adapted. 'Some have gone bust, wound down or sold out,' says Warner, who is closing his shop this month as his online sales and consultancy get busier. Warner noticed a move towards online retail during Covid. 'The fish-box scheme had been proven to work. We started supplying the Wright Brothers [a premium seafood supplier] in London and the Wild Meat Company – they stopped doing wholesale completely. With just online retail, their turnover dropped but margins increased, so they became more profitable.' Catches can now fetch good prices, partly thanks to digital innovation, says Warner. Newlyn in Cornwall and Brixham fish markets have 'electronic clock' online auctions, rather than traditional 'shout' sales, so the fresh catch can fetch competitive prices from a wider range of buyers. Jeremy Grieve buys fish from Brixham at 6am while drinking coffee in his home office, 180 miles away in Guildford, Surrey. When Grieve joined the Fish Society, an online fish-box retailer, in 2016, the 'tide was beginning to turn' for e-commerce. By 2019, the company had developed a more advanced digital platform, but customers were not convinced that fish sent by courier would arrive fresh. 'We had an online fish-selling Ferrari, we just weren't in the right race. Covid gave us the opportunity to flex our muscles,' says Grieve, now chief executive of the Fish Society. On 23 March 2020, the then prime minister, Boris Johnson urged people to stay at home and use food-delivery services. Overnight, the Fish Society turnover grew by 400%. 'Business changed considerably – we went seven days a week, 24 hours a day for an extended period. 'Our team grew from about eight people to 30,' says Grieve. 'Our turnover this year will be about 700% higher than the year leading into Covid.' As well as delivering 1,500 weekly orders to customers, fish portions are sold to recipe-box companies and cruise ships. That is only possible, Grieve says, because fish is sold frozen. This minimises waste – if kept refrigerated, it's more likely to get thrown away when it approaches its expiry date. Before Covid, food was couriered in polystyrene boxes but as e-commerce markets expanded rapidly, so too did sustainable packaging options. The Fish Society switched to cardboard packing formats; Rockfish uses recycled ocean plastic containers that can be returned to the company in exchange for a credit towards subsequent purchases. Covid has provided opportunities for consumers too. 'If you want to know the provenance of a catch, to know what you are buying, you can find out. The traceability is there,' says Warner. 'Not everyone can buy online yet [due to often restricted delivery areas] or visit a local fishmonger, but it's a nettle that the industry has grasped.' Forecasts suggest that 2.3 million people in the UK will use food subscription boxes – or meal kits – this year. The pandemic had a 'seismic' effect on how people consume food at home, according to Seth McCurry, UK and Ireland senior commercial manager for the Marine Stewardship Council, the organisation that sets globally recognised standards for sustainable seafood. 'The rising profile of e-commerce platforms has offered unique opportunities for the seafood industry to connect with consumers in new ways,' says McCurry. 'This has been particularly true since a number of major retailers permanently closed their fish counters in the years following the pandemic.' Meanwhile, Tonks is trialling a virtual fish counter – a touchscreen that displays fresh fish for sale – at Gloucester motorway services on the M5. Soon, that will be rolled out into his own Rockfish restaurants across the south-west. 'To have sustainable fisheries for the future, not only do we have to change practices on the water,' he says, 'we also have to change practices on land.'
The Guardian
13-04-2025
- The Guardian
‘They called it black gold': but should cuttlefish be on our menus?
It can be braised low and slow or grilled in a hot flash, covered in sauce and canned or stirred through a paella. Cuttlefish, a cephalopod closely related to squid, is the seafood menu offering du jour. In March a cuttlefish risotto was added to the menu at Rick Stein's The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall. In Cardiff, at Heaneys, you can find a dish of pork belly, cuttlefish and borlotti beans. At Cycene in London's Shoreditch, a goat ragu with cuttlefish noodles, while at Silo in Stratford, cuttlefish is fermented to dress leeks, alliums and padron peppers. In Glasgow, Celentano's offers a linguine and cuttlefish ragu with black olives and tarragon. About 4,000 tonnes of cuttlefish are landed in the UK every year on average. Largely caught in the English Channel, very little of it ends up on British plates, with most exported, as it is a delicacy in France and Spain. 'It's such an underrated ingredient, packed with flavour, versatile, and when treated right it can really shine on a plate,' says chef Tommy Heaney, who runs his eponymous restaurant in Cardiff and who has long used cuttlefish. Heaney describes it as 'sweet, tender and meaty, more so than squid. It's incredibly delicate but holds up beautifully in rich or brothy dishes.' Dean Parker, chef at Celentano's, has cooked it for several years, and sources it seasonally – from February to July – from a 'trusted wholesaler who uses local dayboats'. His customers are increasingly curious and he says it is popular. Parker poaches the wings, tentacles and body for a ragu, the guts are cooked down in stock, and the ink sacks blended to enrich the stock. At Wildflowers, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Belgravia, it has been on the menu since autumn, usually served in fideua or paella, both Spanish dishes. It has been a hit. 'People don't know what it is,' says executive chef Aaron Potter. 'If they read squid or calamari, they would immediately order it. It does mute sales a bit. But when they eat it, they get a better dining experience eating braised cuttlefish than squid.' Regulars always order it again, Potter adds. It is also being tinned, with British companies Rockfish and Sea Sisters releasing canned versions. Rockfish founder Mitch Tonks says it's in the top three products they sell. Sea Sisters offers two varieties: cuttlefish caponata and cuttlefish in a rich, jet-black, marsala sauce. It can be mixed into rice, served with pasta or simply on toast. Sea Sisters always sells out its limited production, despite the £14 price tag, says co-founder Charlotte Dawe. Britons eat a narrow range of mostly imported seafood – cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns make up 80% of consumption in the UK. Nigel Haworth, chef patron at the Three Fishes in Lancashire, is running a 'Forgotten Fish' series of dinners this year, featuring megrim sole, brown shrimp, codling and cuttlefish. Haworth reckons Britons are increasingly 'excited by delving into what I class as forgotten fish'. Rather than exporting cuttlefish, Haworth thinks we should keep more of it. He likes it barbecued and pays half what he would for the more celebrated squid. 'It's so much tastier than squid, so tender it's unbelievable.' However, there are concerns over cuttlefish's sustainability. This week, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) released its annually updated Good Fish Guide. Cuttlefish saw no change from last year, with wild-caught pot, trap or creel options ranked amber ('OK – needs improvement') and trawled cuttlefish red ('avoid'). None were green. Tonks, who sources pot-caught where possible, said: 'It's been fished hard over the last decade, but it's fast growing and there are management plans being put in place.' Alice Moore, the MCS's Good Fish Guide manager, says interest in cuttlefish has soared over the past five years. The concerns are it is often trawled and there has not been a robust stock assessment. 'It seems like it's declining and probably being over-fished. The other problem is management. There is no limit to how much people can catch – it's a free for all.' Moore said potted cuttle was better, provided the eggs, which can stick to pots, are carefully returned to the sea. But the MCS would not recommend it as a sustainable option. In Plymouth, Caroline Bennett, founder of Sole of Discretion, which champions sustainable seafood from small-scale fishers, previously sold cuttlefish landed by a 'pioneering fisher' in Eastbourne, who caught it sustainably and ensured eggs returned to the seabed. Bennett says about five years ago foreign buyers turned to UK cuttlefish as an alternative to squid, and almost overnight it became less sustainable – turning from amber to red in 2020. 'Big trawlers had taken out so much of the biomass of cuttlefish, in Brixham they called it black gold,' she says. 'If [chefs] can buy pot-caught, then fine, but they're few and far between.' Rob Wing, owner of The Cornish Fishmonger, sells a small amount of the fish and has noticed rising interest. He believes there should be quotas and increased management for the fishing industry, but says this is an 'unwieldy process' that can take years. 'Clearly, the appetite for cuttlefish is relatively small, it's an emerging thing. If we all chose wider-ranging species from around our waters, not just salmon, prawns and cod, we would have a much easier time managing species.' Dawe, of Sea Sisters, says it is wholesalers' duty to source responsibly. 'It's not for a chef to have a marine biology degree and look at MCS ratings every five minutes. They have so many things to worry about.' At Sea Sisters, they avoid trawler-caught cuttlefish. 'We believe it's important to work with fishers who do things the right way,' she says. 'If we can create a better consciousness around eating our species domestically in the UK, then we've got a better future for coastal communities.'
