One of Bishop Auckland’s best-known fish and chip shops, which has served the local community for more than 35 years, is on the market after two generations of family ownership. Beedle’s Chippy, on Oaklea Terrace in Cockton Hill, was established in 1991 by brothers Peter and David Beedle and has grown into a well-known name across County Durham, building a loyal following and earning a string of industry accolades.
The business began with a single shop in Bishop Auckland, before expanding to five locations across the county. Over the years, the family also introduced a wet fish van serving local markets and a mobile fish and chip van, taking its food to events, weddings and the popular Kynren live-action show.
Beedle’s Chippy, which is on the market with Ernest Wilson, part of BTG Eddisons, for £485,000, has also picked up a number of industry accolades over the years. It was named one of the North East’s best fish and chip shops for three years running, as well as making the UK’s top 10 in a national competition run by the National Federation of Fish Friers. More recently, under the stewardship of Peter’s son James, the business was named among Fry Magazine’s Top 50 Best Fish and Chip Shop Takeaways in the UK.
James took over the running of the family business in 2022 after his father was diagnosed with cancer. Peter sadly passed away the following year, but the shop has continued to thrive with the support of the family, its long-serving staff and loyal customers.
Today, the business trades from its original Oaklea Terrace premises, in the residential Cockton Hill neighbourhood. Employing five full-time and three part-time staff, the chippy opens from Monday to Saturday, and customers can order in the shop, online or using its own app, with a home delivery service also in operation.
The freehold property includes a self-contained two-bedroom flat above the shop, currently occupied by a tenant, providing additional rental income.
Mark Czajka, director at Ernest Wilson, said: “There’s so much to like about Beedle’s Chippy. It’s been part of everyday life in Bishop Auckland for decades, and the Beedle name is very well known locally. You don’t build that sort of customer loyalty overnight.”
“It’s also a business that has kept pace with changing customer habits, with online ordering and its own delivery service alongside the traditional takeaway. For someone coming in, there’s a solid business already there, but also plenty of scope to put their own ideas into practice and take it in a new direction.”
Ernest Wilson, part of real estate advisory firm BTG Eddisons, is in its 70th year. It sells hundreds of businesses, big and small, every year.
