Harry Ramsden’s owner closes nine Deep Blue restaurants

Fish and chip giant Deep Blue Restaurants has sold a further nine of its eponymous restaurants to fund growth of its Harry Ramsden’s brand.

 

The group is the largest operator of fish and chips restaurants and takeaways in the UK and owns brands including Deep Blue and Fish & Chips @ 149.

 

The company began selling off its eponymous sites last year to focus on Harry Ramsden’s, the 96-year-old fish and chip chain it bought from Boparan Restaurant Group in 2019.

 

Its latest accounts confirm it sold nine Deep Blue restaurants between October 2024 and May 2025 as part of its strategic disposal programme.

 

The company now lists 16 Deep Blue restaurants on its website and eight Harry Ramsden’s sites.

 

Proceeds of the sales were invested in refurbishing key Harry Ramsden’s restaurants, including in Brighton, and funding national and international marketing campaigns.

 

Deep Blue said profits were driven by franchising and licensing of the Harry Ramsden’s brand. The group recently signed heads of terms on a significant licensing agreement with a major UK supermarket which it said would generate “substantial cash inflows”.

 

Turnover at Deep Blue Restaurants dropped 2.5% to £22.9m and gross profit fell 1.2% to £15.8m in the year ended 24 September 2024.

 

Pre-tax losses shrank to £2.2m, down from a £3.6m loss the previous year. However, EBITDA rose from £2.1m to £2.2m before impairment, share-based payments and exceptional items.

 

The group also secured £5.57m debt funding between October 2024 and February 2025.

 

Chief executive James Fleming wrote in its accounts: “As in prior years, global events, the cost of living crisis and food cost inflation continued to present headwinds to trading in the first three quarters of FY 2025. Despite this, performance has been robust. Looking at the sites on a like for like basis (to account for the disposal of some stores) the group is trading in line with the budget set at the start of the year.

 

“Continued success with the franchising and licensing of the Harry Ramsden’s brand has further driven revenue and profitability across the group. Management continue to focus on developing this element of the business, and there have been further new contract wins into 2025.”

 

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