Bath Road Chippy to be Dominos after closure revealed

Bath Road Chippy will soon be transformed into a Domino's Pizza after being a staple chip shop in Worcester for nearly 25 years.

The owner, Harry Angelides, said he never dreamed of the store being anything but a chip shop.

Bath Road Chippy in 2022. (Image: Newsquest) But, the 82-year-old said that a Parkinson's disease diagnosis two years ago and his age had led him to decide it was time to retire.

He had tried to sell the business so it remained a chip shop but there was no interest.

"I feel very sad," said Mr Angelides.

"I am going to cry when the day comes, but at the moment, we still have to work in the shop.

"After all these years, I guess it's understandable."

Mr Angelides had started in the chip shop trade when he was 15 and spent the past 67 years gathering several chip shops under his belt.

Bath Road Chippy in 2008. (Image: Street View) He then rested on buying Bath Road Chippy in 2000 when it was a laundrette. 

He added: "I started when I was just 15, and then my brother-in-law and I had ten shops at one point.

"But now, it is harder to run one than ten under the present situation."

He said the saddest thing about the closure is the effect on his "lovely staff", who will unfortunately lose their jobs.

Joss Avery, centre, of the Bath Road Chippy, with manager Mike Mavris and Gemma Timmis of Acorns Children's Hospice, when the chippy was running a fundraiser in 2015."One (Joss Avery) has been with me for the past 17 years.

"It was a family-run business, but I was diagnosed with Parkinson's, and the staff have carried on the company for the past two years - the girls drive the shop.

"The girls are brilliant, and out of the 67 years I have been in the industry, they are the best."

Bath Road Chippy will officially close on Saturday, October 26 at 9pm.

Mr Angelides said he would like to thank all his customers and everyone who has been with them.

"I am very sorry to see the business close, and I apologise to all our customers."