In 2009 Pringle Richards Sharratt were selected through competition to design a Fish & Chip restaurant on a very small site within Folkestone Harbour to show case some of the best take away sea food created by Mark Sargent. Pringle Richards Sharratt's brief was to create a contemporary fish & chip shop with an open friendly feel and to make the most of the existing building. They were also asked to create some fabulous overnight rooms – which was an interesting twist to the brief.
This was more than an internal refurbishment of an existing building, it was also an urban regeneration project and we wanted to preserve the character and nature of some of the older elements of the building and reflect some of the traditional materials in our solution. The site is small and constrained by roadways on three sides. We wanted to avoid air conditioning in the dining space so we made use of automated passive ventilation.

A double height dining area has been created with the south elevation turned into a double height wall of glass providing stunning views out across the cobbled street next to the harbour. The removed black shiplap cladding has been placed on the rear wall of the dining room. Stone paving runs from inside to out and subtly coloured joinery bookends the space with a stainless steel fish sculpture hanging above the diners

With the design fully supported by Folkestone’s planning and conservation officers consent was awarded in April 2010 and work started on site in August.

The restaurant opened in time for the second Folkestone Triennial in the summer of 2011 with a specially commissioned art work to be hung from the ceiling in the dining room.