European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 06, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Fast food fish and chips by Amy Geiszler Jones . Bureau tradition and customer satisfaction those arc priorities in Ken merry s shop which Sells a food combination that indefinitely traditional in great Feri Tain fish and chips merry pays close attention to what his customers want. When he hands them that paper wrapped Batter Fried piece of cod and a hefty Mound of thickly sliced Golden Fried potatoes he wants them to to satisfied. Merry 54, has been in what the Industry likes to Call the original fast food business for 42 years Starling out As a Chip boy washing and cutting up potatoes. For the past 18 years he s been running the fish bar and cafe located off the Market Square in Ely a Fenland town about 15 Miles from Cambridge and near Raf Alconbury Raf Lakenheath and Raf Mildenhall. Sitting at a table in the Little dining area adjacent to the sates counter merry takes a morning break before firing the pans up for a Busy Day of frying and Selling. Behind him Are two Wall murals with a nautical flavor on the table Are a Shaker of Salt and a Shaker of vinegar a familiar sight at fish and Chip shops. The customers like their Lish Lovely and while. Or As they say Beau ill fish he says. Merry tells the Story about the time he ordered a variety of cod Wilh a Darker meat than the cod he normally Sells. Customers broke it open and would t eat  you Don t find them like this anymore says Tony Shaw a regular customer of merry s who lives in the nearby Village of Lutlo Thetford. It s very difficult to keep up a place Ike this he still Cooks things in a traditional Way so its solve Viohl sitting Down to some Beau Alful fish. Tastes As it should taste says Shaw who As a county health inspector also vouches for the cleanliness of merry s operation. Shaw says he reckons that of the fish and Chip shops he knows of in the area Only about one in 10 employ the methods still used by merry. Merry eschews some of the new methods like microwave ovens used to heat prepared or Frozen foods taken on lately by some less traditional Chip shops in great Britain. Merry s restaurant is also a rarity in that it has dining rooms. Most others offer Only takeout service. I could have made a lot of changes merry says. But we would t have any customers. We still use the old methods. I be heard some other shops use Frozen pre packaged chips he says shaking his head. He makes his own chips fresh from locally grown potatoes. He Fries the fish and chips in fat instead of oils another traditional practice. We try to give the customers value for their Money. Fish and chips is no longer a cheap meal. It is now a main meal and not a fill in meal like it used to to because it was so  merry remembers when three British pennies bought an order of fish and chips Cost one Penny. Now a Small piece of fish and some chips costs about $2.40. If a customer wants to be thoroughly British about a fish and chips meal hell place a Side order of Mushy peas which Are normally served Over the chips a la Gravy. Merry says there s really nothing to making up a Batch. Just soak some dried peas overnight and boil them up the next morning. Six mornings a week merry is in the shop by 7 continued on Page 14 Friday october 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13