Popular chippy reopens after three months with a new owner and a new name on the way

Lou Lou’s Plaice, 111 Lyons Lane, has reopened under the new ownership of Chris Draycott, 52, who travels 48 miles each day from Blackpool. A previous owner of a fish and chip shop in Blackpool, he was forced to close it in 2014 after sufferng with diabetes and losing his toes which meant he had to stop working for three years. When he spotted the opportunity to once again run his beloved fish and chip business, he was ‘hooked’. He opened last Tuesday and is now on the look out for a new name and wants help from residents.

He told the Post: “I wake up at 5am every day and travel from Blackpool to serve the people of Chorley their breakfast from 7am. I get home at 10pm, have an orange juice and go to bed. Some people might think I am crazy but I love it. People can call in, grab a bite to eat and offer up a name for the place. I just want to thank all the locals and my staff for making my life fulfilled again. They have encouraged me and been very supportive.”

Previous owner Andy Shute was forced to close the business in March after it became a magnet for vandal attacks over recent months, sending repair bills through the roof. He had said at the time: “With much sadness I have to say ‘I’m done with Chorley’. For the third time in this short year my business has been mindlessly attacked by bricks being thrown through the windows and so, enough is enough. I was truly saddened to close the chippy, it was going from strength to strength but I couldn’t continue to pay out.”

The new name will be announced next month.