Fish Union was first established in November 2020 during the height of the pandemic. What originally began as a pop-up fishmonger in a car park has since evolved into a permanent site in Chislehurst, Kent, and a collaborative residency at The Seafood Bar at Rye Fish Market in Rye, East Sussex. Founded by renowned chefs and seafood specialists Richard Kirkwood and Andy Roberts, the concept slowly evolved into something truly unique – an upmarket fishmonger fused with a seafood restaurant and bar.
Richard and Andy first met when working together at London’s iconic J Sheekey. After a number of years, the two went their separate ways before being reunited again at Wright Brothers where they worked until the beginning of the pandemic. After being made redundant, the two found themselves wondering about their futures. With Richard’s exceptional seafood expertise and Andy’s deep knowledge of the fish industry, the two of their visions complemented one another, and spotting a clear opportunity, Fish Union was born. In 2024, Operations Director Jhonnie De Oliveira joined the team, adding his extensive hospitality and strategic experience to the business.
“Andy and Richard are both chefs who have worked in restaurants for years. During the pandemic, a lot of people were made redundant from jobs, including the two of them. Originally, they just saw it as a bit of a, ‘Okay, well, if you’re going to do something, now is the time to do it.’ Both of them invested into and set up the business, doing an incredible job to grow it. It was just this last year where it needed some change.”
Over time, Fish Union’s customer demand slowly transitioned from retail fishmonger purchases to a full dining experience. However, the physical space and infrastructure had not evolved in step. The kitchen was undersized, air quality was poor, and the atmosphere remained more “fishmonger” than fine dining.
With the restaurant only being able to seat 20 people, and the design not supporting the type of experience that diners were seeking, the space wasn’t encouraging customers to stay. This was when the team knew something needed to be done.
Reaching out to Let’s Do Business Finance, Fish Union were successful in securing financial support through the British Business Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme. The Growth Guarantee Scheme is the successor to the Recovery Loan Scheme. The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) was introduced by the UK Government in April 2021 as part of its response to the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Richard, Andy & Jhonnie were referred to me by Ian Woodley, Director of Finance Kitchen, a specialist finance broker to restaurants and other food orientated businesses. From my initial meetings, I could see the passion and enthusiasm to continuing the success of Fish Union. Starting as a fishmonger in 2020 and evolving into a restaurant with a fishmonger counter, the demand for the restaurant in Chislehurst significantly outgrew the fishmonger aspect of the business. In 2024 they saw an opportunity to invest in a pop-up seafood bar and kitchen in Rye, which is proving to be a popular attraction in the local area. The funding we have helped them with will allow the company to continue their growth with a full redesign of the restaurant in Chislehurst to transition from fishmonger aesthetic to a modern, more desirable restaurant.”