A much-loved fishmonger has bid an emotional farewell after decades of trading at its current home.
Jenkins & Son, which has been trading in Deal High Street for more than 80 years, left its site next to Dial A Pizza to move to a larger site close by.
It will be launching a fishmongers’ and street food bar at the former JC Rooks & Son unit - two years after the popular butchers’ fell into administration.
The unit has sat empty since the family-run chain collapsed in 2022, causing 150 job losses.
Builders have been carrying out repairs and renovations to the store over the past nine months to allow the fishmongers to open this Tuesday.
In a post yesterday which has amassed huge support on Facebook, Jenkins & Son said: “So it is our last and final day of trading from 118 High Street, Deal.
“It was an emotional day for everyone as this little shop has been the backbone for the Jenkins family, friends and work colleagues for too many years to mention.
“But the doors are about to open in our new venture where we have the room to expand and grow our business.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank all our lovely dedicated customers for supporting our local family-run business over the years. Without you we wouldn’t be in this position.
“We hope you will continue to come to us for your fresh fish and home-cooked meals at our new address 77-81 High Street, Deal.
“We open our doors on Tuesday and cannot wait to see you there.”
The ground floor of the former JC Rooks & Son unit has been split into two sections. One half will be a traditional fishmonger and poulterer while the other will be a street food bar and grill with 24 seats.
It means customers will be able to have fresh fish dishes cooked in front of them by head chef Peter Keyes.
Speaking last month to KentOnline, marketing co-ordinator Sacha Taylor said: “We have outgrown this shop because we now do home-cooked food made by our chef which people can take away.
“We are bursting at the seams so when the Rooks unit came up a couple of years ago we made a bid for it.
“It has taken a while to buy it as it has been quite complicated, but we have now taken on that 1,000 sq m building to move into as a fishmonger and poulterer like we are now, but additionally we have created a kitchen grill area, a bar and a seating area for street food.
“We have applied for an alcohol licence and hopefully if that is granted we will be able to sell alcohol on the shop floor too.
“That is a new venture for us and we are quadrupling in size. The idea is to give people new ideas on how to use fish in everyday cooking.
“The concept eventually will be that people can pick up a piece of fish from the fishmonger, walk across to the chef and get them to cook it however they like.”
It took Jenkins & Son 14 months to buy the building, and builders and electricians are currently on site to get the new store ready for opening.
“Eventually we are going upstairs too because there is room for possibly having a restaurant and seafood bar with a roof terrace,” she explained.
“The upstairs will not be for a year or two, it depends on how everything goes. We are also looking to do pop-up and sushi events.
“We have always done them, but we have had to use other people's venues. Now we can do them in our own shop.
“Eventually we want to do cooking classes so we have lots of ideas for the future.“
It is not yet clear who will take over the current Jenkins & Son unit when it closes, but it will be rented out to a new business.
JC Rook & Sons was one of Kent's oldest and biggest butchery firms with 11 shops across the county.
It has been established for more than 55 years after opening its first butchers in Dover in 1965. But following the pandemic, the firm went into administration.
