A popular fish and chip shop is closed after a car crashed into it, leaving a huge hole in the wall.
The Happy Haddock on the A19 between York and Escrick is now shut for repairs.
A driver came off the road and their car slammed through a barrier into the wall of the shop at about 3am on Sunday (30 April).
Happily the driver was OK.
However, the collision knocked a large hole in the wall of the Happy Haddock, scattering bricks, dust and debris across the kitchen.
Police called the owners of the shop, Jaz and Dave Dhesi, soon after it happened.
“The call came from the police saying, Can you please come down to the shop? You’ve got a hole in there, we can see your frying range,” Jaz said.
“When we got there, the driver was still there, the car was still lodged. The driver was very apologetic.”
Police said he should go to A&E but he declined and took a taxi home.
“We felt shocked, gutted – because we knew this was going to mean that we would have to close,” Jaz told YorkMix.
“But then again, we’re grateful that he’s all right. And we’re grateful it was at that time of night, and not during the day when people could have been about been about – including us, and customers.”
She said this happened at the start of the summer season, the busiest time for the business.
“We’ve all been hit with a cost of living. We’ve all been hit with Covid. It just seems to be one thing after another. We just can’t believe it.”
A surveyor has been in and secured the wall and roof with a prop. Now Jaz and Dave are talking with their insurance company and organising quotes for the repair work.
But they have no idea how long it will take.
They have run the Happy Haddock since 2006, transforming what was a closed transport café.
They always chip fresh potatoes bought locally because they say that makes all the difference to the taste – and that is borne out by their ratings: 4.4 stars out of 5 on Google.
Jaz said their customers “have been brilliant” asking what they can do to help.
“We have been at the shop since 2006 and many of our customers are also friends. We are missing the regular banter and chats whilst we serve them,” she said.
Keep updated on when they’re reopening via the Happy Haddock Facebook Page. And at YorkMix we’ll let you know too.
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