The Ashvale

The Ashvale is a chain of fish and chip restaurants and takeaways in the north-east of Scotland.
The main restaurant, which opened in 1979, is on Great Western Road in Aberdeen. There are other restaurants and takeaways in Banchory, Portlethen, Brechin, Dundee, Elgin, Ellon and Inverurie. By the mid-1990s the restaurant complex in Aberdeen had 300 seats and was open 7 days a week. In 2004, the chain served about 30,000 customers each week, selling approximately 18,000 fillets of fish.
Its successful strategy is to buy fish of the best quality but to sell it at the same price as the competition. Its margins are therefore lower but it makes up for this with high volume, staying open from noon to 1 am, seven days a week, and being fairly busy throughout.
Awards.
The Ashvale won many awards in the 1990s before it retired from competing:
The operations director, Stuart Devine, supports the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen and was awarded an MBE for his services to the seafood industry.
The Whale.
The Ashvale's most famous dish is "The Ashvale Whale" which is a 1lb haddock fillet. To those who successfully complete the challenge of eating a Whale, a certificate is awarded, a commemorative mug may be purchased and another "Whale", or alternatively a dessert, is offered free of charge.
Celebrities.
The Aberdeen restaurant has had many celebrity customers including:
In 2010, the Scottish Seafood Training Association used the Aberdeen restaurant as a location for a dinner to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the fish supper.