Haywards Heath fishmonger casting a wider net of shops

Sebastian Candelon, 29, owns The Fresh Fish Shop in Commercial Square, Haywards Heath. He has taken over The Salmon Shop at the A272 in West Grinstead as its owner Paul Muller has decided to retire.

“I was approached by Paul, who I know well since I began my life as a fishmonger, and was offered the opportunity to take on his shop and follow on with the legacy of fishmongers in the area,” he said. “It’s a lovely thought to keep alive a trade that has been around for as long as humans have existed.”

Paul Muller, 70, has enjoyed years of selling fish at the site.

He said: “I’m sorry to be moving out but I will be glad to not have to work seven days a week.”

Now he has bid farewell to his following of loyal customers and is preparing to hand over to Sebastian.

Sebastian has been in the business since he was 24 years old.

“I bought the shop five years ago from a friend’s father.

“I knew nothing about fish but always wanted to run my own business and learnt the trade the hard way – 2.30am starts at Billingsgate Market in London, to buy our fish, an essential part of the business I still do myself mostly,” he said.

He plans to change the branding of the West Grinstead store to match his Haywards Heath shop. He said: “I want the customers to come in and think ‘wow, I’ve got brilliant value for money’.

“People think fish is quite an expensive product, but it’s really not, and I don’t want to be considered expensive.”

There will also be the opportunity for members of the public to watch cooking demos with staff preparing the fish and providing takeaway recipes. The West Grinstead shop will be closed while it is being refurbished and will re-open mid-September.