It’s all change at an award-winning Ramsgate fish and chip shop with a new owner taking the helm.
Shakey Shakey fish bar in the High Street has received plaudits for its exceptional gluten-free and full vegan menu and is also a hit with customers due to the great service, including extra-special treatment of their ‘doggie regulars’.
The Ramsgate venue is run by the second generation of the Bagdas family, sisters Fidan, Fulya and Simge. Their parents founded the business and originally traded from Herne Bay.
Ramsgate discovered the legendary Shakey Shakey seasoning– made of a secret blend – when the shop opened in 2015. It has been declared, by PETA [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals], as the first chip shop in the UK to offer a full vegan menu and is a 5 star venue on TripAdvisor with a Traveller’s Choice award for 2023.
But family matters, including health issues for oldest sister Fidan and the need to complete a Masters degree for middle sister Fulya, means the family took the decision to sell.
But it’s not all sad news. New owner Ibz spent a week training with the sisters to learn how the Shakey Shakey food is done and, importantly, how to make that special seasoning.
Fidan said: “My parents opened Shakey Shakey in Ramsgate in 2015 and before that they were in Herne Bay so we are the second generation to run it.
“I have some health issues and can’t do the physical work anymore and my younger sister has to start her Masters. That leaves one sister and she could not run it on her own.
“We love this community and didn’t want to leave but we had to make a hard decision.
“Ibz used to be a chef in hotels in Turkey and in the UK he has been in the fish and chip business in Brighton.
“He moved here and wants to stay here. Word got around through suppliers, he heard we were going to sell and that’s how we were introduced.”
Fidan says the Shakey Shakey name and its menu and cooking methods will all remain.
She added: “It is bitter sweet and hasn’t really sunk in yet but Ibz has already run a fish and chip business and has been training with us so we can show him how we do things.
“We created the vegan menu in 2017 and it was a condition for the vegan and gluten-free menus to stay. Ibz is really keen and very excited.”
Fidan says she is hopefully that the change will be positive.
She added: “Our community is so important. We have our daily visits from our regular dogs and they have their sausages as we keep the leftovers for the pets so we have told Ibz any sausages need to be kept for them.
“We also have all the little kids that come in for a cuddle and they ask to come and see the Shakey Shakey girls, these are the things we think about most. It is an amazing community and we are sad to go.”
Shakey Shakey fish bar at 75 High Street is open now with Ibz at the helm.
