Yorkshire family businesses work together on smart new look for staff

When a second generation fish and chip business wanted professional workwear for its team, it turned to sixth generation hospitality clothing specialists, Russums.

Rotherham based Russums was approached by Mike Shaw from Shaws Fish and Chips of Dodworth and were asked for their advice about good looking, practical workwear for its team.

Russums' quality products and personal approach was one of the key reasons for the partnership, said Shaws Fish and Chips owner Mike Shaw.

"Quality ingredients and outstanding customer service is what drives our business and we expect that from our suppliers too.

"We are so committed to sourcing the best quality ingredients that we regularly travel to Iceland to visit the trawlers that we buy our fish from, and it's important to us that the staff work wear looks as good as our fish and chips taste."

Russums sales and marketing manager, John-Paul Marsden worked with Mike to choose a stylish, contemporary look that was practical for use with hot fat: "We chose a smart, easy to wearchambray shirt with a dark grey tunic tabard wrap for the serving staff and white aprons for the fryers. Everything was hand made in our Yorkshire sewing rooms and was finished off with an embroidered logo."

Mike Shaw concluded: "We're delighted with the bespoke uniforms that Russums made for us. Nothing was too much trouble and John-Paul went out of his way to make sure that everything fitted perfectly and that the team were happy."

Sixth generation family business Russums is a leading supplier of clothing and equipment to the hospitality industry, supplying chefs and food service workers throughout the UK and Europe.

Shaws Fish and Chips was the first business in South Yorkshire to sign up for the MSC Fisheries Standard that guarantees that Shaws only ever servecertified sustainable fish and chips. Shaws' environmental credentials include the use of sugar cane husk take away boxes and the creation of an ‘Ocean Rescue' poster that charts what the team is doing to reduce single plastic usage. It is also committed to promoting locally sourced produce and works with local suppliers including Yummy Yorkshire and Cannon Hall Farm Shop. 

Russums employs over 50 people at its Rotherham headquarters that are home to its showroom, offices, sewing room and an industry leading embroidery department.

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Photo:ManagerJulie Shaw with owner Mike Shaw Julie and Mike Shaw from Shaws Fish and Chips

For more information or to arrange an interview with John Paul Marsden, please contact Tracey Baty at three60 marketing on;

Direct line:01430 871360

Mobile:07971 961574

E mail:traceybaty@three60marketing.co.uk

Web:www.three60marketing.co.uk

Notes to Editors

1. Russums was established in 1830 as a brush manufacturer supplying the steel and coal industry. Post war production of lorry covers, tarpaulins and items made from canvas led to Rotherham College approaching Russums to make knife wallets for the staff and students. Such was the success of the wallets, that the College then asked them to source the knives to go in the wallets and so began the business suppling the hospitality and catering industries that Russums is known and respected for today.
2. Please visit http://www.russums-shop.co.uk/c/q/clothing/aprons/tabards for more information about the tunic tabards.
3. To keep up to date with news from Russums, find them on Facebook and Twitter
4. Shaws was established by Mike's father in 1979 after he left the Navy and was looking for a way to support his young family. After working in a fish and chip shop for a while, he concluded that he could do a better job that his employer and borrowed £500 to buy the original shop and set up a premium quality fish and chip shop. Mike moved to the new shop on Barnsley Road in 2015 and had to build a porch at the front of the shop to protect the people who queue out of the door in inclement weather. For more information about Shaws Fish and Chips of Dodworth, please visit http://www.shawsfishandchips.com/
5. For more information about the MSC Fisheries Standard, please visit https://www.msc.org/about-us/standards/fisheries-standard