Norman Lamb, the north Norfolk MP turned up on Saturday to launch a new fishing boat-themed café and takeaway at in the centre of Sheringham town. The café, named The Trawler, is located in High Street and this bold idea came from Andrew and Lisa May, a husband and wife team who also run Albert’s Fish Bar at Holt. The boat theme is hard to miss even from the outside. There’s a wooden boat frontage which even includes fishing nets and a ship’s bell. The inside of the café features photographs of scenes from the local seaside.
According to the wife, Lisa, the idea was her husbands and although it was a bit odd, she quite liked and they decided to simply go ahead with it. The boat theme is present in all parts of the café and even the toilet doors are emblazed with images of Popeye and Olive Oyl. There’s even a ship’s wheel at the restaurant’s ‘helm’.
Cooking has been a part of Lisa May’s life for many years. She started at fourteen when she started to fry fish in her father’s Barry Wood’s mobile chip van. Later on, she went to work at his take-away at the Kelling Heath Holiday Park. When her father decided to go into semi-retirement a few years back, she and her husband decided to take over Albert’s Fish Bar. The 70-year-old Mr Woods still works at the fish bar but the couple will soon be selling the business so they can put all their efforts into the Sheringham Trawler. The Trawler serves regular fish and chips but also has a gluten-free alternative.
Mr Lamb’s mother, Moira, is a regular customer at their shop in Holt and this is why the couple asked the MP to unveil the commemorative plaque at the opening celebration on Saturday. Friends, local traders and dignitaries were all invited to the Saturday event. As he dug into a plate of chips and cod, Mr Lamb stated that he believed The Trawler was the epitome of what the town was about and what it had to offer. He complimented the kitting of the restaurant and said that it brought something new that the people in North Norfolk could now offer visitors to the area. Thanks to the location, the restaurant can also promise some of the freshest fish around.
