Caglar, known as Charlie, moved to the Isle of Wight around six years ago and was already a regular customer at the long-standing business. He had previously tried to buy the shop.
He said:
“I’ve been interested in the business since I arrived to the Island. I even asked the old owner, ‘You thinking of selling the place?’”
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The pair have since renovated the premises, including painting, repairs and servicing the machinery.
Charlie said:
“It’s been renovated since we bought it. The whole place has been renovated up and down. It’s all been painted, the broken bits and bobs have been fixed, and the machinery has all been serviced. It’s up to scratch at the moment.”
The traditional fish and chip offering will remain, alongside new options including pizzas, burgers and kebabs.
A delivery service covering Newport and surrounding areas is also planned, with further details expected soon.
The lease has been taken from Meli Selak, who ran Stoesbury’s for more than 20 years and is now passing her knowledge and experience on to Charlie and Ergin. Some familiar faces will also return, with members of the new team having previously worked at the shop.
Despite the changes, Charlie is keen to retain the character of the 120-year-old business.
He said:
“As you walk in through the shop, you won’t see a difference. It’s going to be how it was.
“It’s been an institution. It’s been a very traditional fish and chips. That’s why we want to keep it as traditional as we can. We’re not changing the name. It’s going to be still carried on as Stotesburys. We want to keep up the same taste, the same quality as it was, and that’s our first aim, and obviously go above it.
“We’ve done lots of trials over the last few weeks, getting the exact taste for both the fish and chips. Everything on the menu has been tried and tested by us.
“We are very lucky to get the help and knowledge from Meli and her son.”
Stotesburys will be open 12:00 to 23:00, seven days a week.
The prominent business had been closed since April, as previously reported by Island Echo.
