Church Gresley Chippy Is Opening Again For Deliveries After Month-Long Shutdown

Popular Church Gresley chippy Andy's Fish Bar is reopening today (Thursday) - offering a delivery-only service.

Owners husband and wife Chris and Elena Constantinou closed the fish and chip shop the day Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the UK was to go into lockdown.

A month later, the couple are taking their first tentative steps towards reopening the Market Street take-away and restaurant.

Elena told Swadlincote Nub News: "After careful consideration we have decided to reopen offering an evening delivery service for three days initially -tomorrow, Friday and Saturday.

"We are not sure how it's going to go, but we think it's the right time.

"We don't know how long the lockdown is going to last and, like everyone, we have bills to pay and have to put food on the table for ourselves and our children.

"Although it will be delivery-only we are looking forward to treating our customers again."

All orders must be placed and paid for online via the delivery app Delivery App which will go live at 2pm on each of the three days.

Customers will be given a time slot - between 5.15pm and 8.45pm - for their delivery and when all available slots have been allocated no more orders will be taken. Elena and Chris will be cooking and have drivers to deliver orders.

"Drivers will pick up bagged orders from a collection point at the side of the premises and put each one in a thermal bag.

"At the customer's home they will unzip the bag, knock on the door, step back and the customer will remove their order themselves.

"Once back at the shop the thermal bag will be sanitised and reused," explained Elena.

Only deliveries within a three mile radius of the shop will be accepted and there is a minimum order of £10, plus £2.50 delivery charge towards drivers' fuel and pay.

After the three-evening trail period the couple will decide how to go forward.

"We may keep delivering on the same three evenings each week or extend the service from Monday to Saturday.

"We may also look at offering a click and collect service and are investigating how to open for walk-in customers.

"Safety is paramount and so we would need to install sneeze screens and floor markings for distancing.

"We are members of the National Federation of Fish Fryers and they have been really helpful by providing information and advice."