A Kinross chip shop has passed over to its third generation, with the new owner launching all-day opening hours for the first time in 15 years.
Central Fish and Chips has been managed by the Andreucci family since 1989.
Donato Andreucci has taken over from his father Lorenzo after first helping out when he was 13.
The 31-year-old, who became an official employee at 15, has renovated the High Street business and plans to increase its summer opening hours.
But he insists the shop will continue to serve traditional fish and chips inspired by the work of previous Andreucci generations.
Donato said: “My dad was taught from my grandad. I was taught from both of them.
“I’ve just kept on and never really looked back at trying anything different.
“I always wanted to be involved with the family business.”
Kinross chip shop to have longer summer hours
Currently, the shop is open from 4pm to 11pm, seven days a week.
This will change when British Summertime (BST) begins this Sunday.
“As soon as summertime starts, we’re going to start opening all day Thursday to Sunday, from 12pm to 11pm.
“That will go on until October when the clocks change [to GMT] and then we’ll just go to Thursday and Friday all day.
“It’s just to give people the option.
“Maybe elderly people don’t want to come out at night because it maybe gets dark for them, or a wee bit cooler.”
Fresh look for High Street family takeaway
The shop’s renovation includes new equipment and technology, as well as a clean and crisp interior.
Donato said: “You feel like you’re doing something right, especially when I’ve got reactions from the customers giving me the thumbs up, telling me ‘what a job’, ‘great’, ‘looks nice’.”
Local tradesmen were deployed for the renovation, which shut the shop from February 1 to 26.
The new owner’s grandad, also called Donato, originally moved to Edinburgh from his native Italy, before finding a new home in Kinross in the late 1980s.
He opened the Kinross shop with his late wife Ida.
The building was already a chip shop before the family took over on January 5 1989.
The youngest Donato’s mother, Lucia, moved to Scotland from Italy when she married Lorenzo.
The pair ran the shop for 30 years before passing it to Donato last year.
The new owner spoke of one day passing on the reins to his nine-year-old son Lorenzo.
“I would hope he can take on the business and make it run for four generations.
“But the future will tell.”
New ideas at Central Fish and Chips
Now at the helm of Central Fish and Chips, Donato is halting the delivery service introduced during Covid restrictions.
“I do believe the food we serve is not made to travel,” he said.
The move creates exciting new opportunities.
These include a night of gluten-free food.
And, although the shop reopened in late February, Donato is planning a relaunch event, potentially raising funds for Kinross charity CHAS.
He added: “I’d say as soon as we get everything up and running, 100% there will be some sort of charity night I’m going to do.”
Elsewhere in Kinross, a hotel and bar has closed after owners called time on a “battle” to survive.
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