Old Mill Hill Chippy in Blackburn reopens after fire

Old Mill Hill Chippy, in New Chapel Street, closed on April 5 after a fire.

On October 21, it reopened its doors and welcomed crowds of customers.

Owner, Dameeon Jordan, said he has spent around £50,000 on renovations after the fire caused water and smoke damage.

He said: “These last few months have been rough.

"We haven’t had a payout from the insurance for loss of earnings or anything so I have had to put my own money into it to get back up and running.

“It was mainly smoke and water damage but it went through the whole downstairs of the building.

“Repairs cost around £50,000 and that is with me doing the work myself and with the help of a friend.”

Despite the mammoth repairs task ahead of him, Dameeon said he never thought about closing the business for good.

He said: “It was always going to be reopened. It was a major setback but we always said, ‘this is not the end it’s the next chapter’.

Old Mill Hill Chippy in Blackburn reopens after fire (Image: Dameeon Jordan) “The business is exactly the same as it was before. Why change the model when it was working so well before?”

With the cost-of-living crisis already squeezing profits, Dameeon said this setback was the last thing the business needed.

“It was the last thing we needed," he added.

"It’s been a bad year. My mother had a stroke in February and then died in June. My brother-in-law died in May and I also lost aunties and a cousin.”

Dameeon said the business was “extremely busy” when it reopened on Monday.

“Monday was extremely busy, tea time was especially busy,” he said. “We are hoping this continues for a while.

“A lot of customers have sent messages of support. We just want to remind people that we are open.”

The fish and chip shop was established in 1925, offering fish and chips, a range of pies, sausages, peas, beans, curry and gravy.