'We love what we do': Popular Hedge End fish and chips shop run by 11 members of same family

  • ITV News Meridian's Siri Hampapur spoke to the Lee family in Hedge End

A village fish and chip shop is being run by 11 members of the same family, and counting.Shane Lee, 59, opened J-Henry’s in Hedge End, Hampshire in 1988 and has since been joined by his wife, four children and grandchildren.He said: "We’ve done 36 years in Hedge End which is quite an achievement in itself. We came down with two children, now we have four.

"They started off helping on Sunday mornings at a young age, stocking up drinks and making up boxes and it just progressed from there. I hope to see them follow my suit.”

Shane's wife Beverley, 60, said: “We just say the most important thing is our customers.

"They’re going to have good service, we’re going to give them good food - because they are our bread and butter."

  • Beverley Lee told ITV Meridian what is at the heart of their ethos

Shane and Beverley's eldest son John-Henry Lee, 41, is whom the business is named after.

He works at J-Henry's alongside his four siblings, Ellie, 38, Sonny, 29, and Charlotte, 25.John got his three daughters involved, Charmaine, 15, Betsy, 13, and Bonnie, 8, and hopes they will help con.He said: “The industry itself is a lovely industry to be in, and it's even better to do it with your family.“I just feel very lucky to be where we are today and to have got through everything that we’ve got through and to be still going strong."

The youngest of the bunch is Charlotte Lee's son, 15-month-old Baby Sonny - named after his uncle. Credit: Sonny Lee

Sonny Lee has also been training up his children, including Brooke, 15, Olivia-Rai, 6, and one of their youngest trainees two-year-old Isla.

He said: “We try and keep it a family-friendly environment and with most of the customers, we’re normally on first-name terms.

"We know about their day-to-day lives, and what they do for work. So it’s all really friendly."

The staff at J-Henry's also include Ellie Lee's children Scarlett, 15, Sienna 13, and Krystal, 10.

  • The Lee family told ITV Meridian what they all have with their chips.

When asked what their most popular topping is among customers, Sonny said: "Probably curry sauce - 80% curry sauce and 20% mushy peas."After the success of J-Henry's, the Lee family have formed a Fish and Chips empire, as they now own four other shops around the borough of Eastleigh and one in the New Forest.

The family also own The Codfather in Hedge End, Sonny's in Fair Oak, Best Fry in West End, Mikes in Bishopstoke and Finest Fish and Chips in Lyndhurst.

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