Fish and chip shop owner retires after 48 years

Eddie Lockhart says he plans on "doing nothing" for the first month of his retirement

A fish and chip shop owner from Liverpool has served his final customers after nearly half a century in the business.

Having provided chippy teas for generations, Eddie Lockhart closed the doors of Lockharts EC, on Warwick Street, for the last time on Friday.

When asked about his plans for retirement, 72-year-old Eddie quipped "doing nothing for a month" before going on a much-needed holiday and, ironically, going fishing.

Eddie joined his family business on a full-time basis in 1977 before taking over from his father a few years later.

"My family was always in the fruit and vegetable business," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"We had two shops - one just over the road from here where my Auntie Teenie worked, and then one on New Henderson Street.

"Then they were demolished just after the war and these buildings were built.

"Eventually we fell into the fish and chip business."

The chippy opened in 1959 and has remained a firm fixture ever since.

Lockhart EC has been on Warwick Street since 1959

Menus over the years have evolved in response to customers' tastes.

"When we first started, we were serving pies, chips, and fish," Eddie explained.

"But then Chinese [takeaways] started coming in and selling sausage dinners, so we had to do that.

"We didn't even have gravy - just peas - and then we started doing a gravy dinner."

While the future of the business remains unknown, Eddie was more certain of his own plans.

"I'm going to do nothing for the first month!

"Me and the wife will go on holiday, and then I'll have a bit of time to do a bit of fishing.

"And I'll probably go to the pub with my friend Paddy."