Fish and Chip Shops — Kitchen Extract Cleaning in London

A chip shop fries for hours on end, and London Fire Brigade guidance note GN86 says kitchens producing a lot of fried food build up much higher grease levels than those that bake or boil. That grease settles in the range canopy, the duct and the fan. We arrange TR19 extract cleaning quotes for fish and chip shops across London. An independent specialist provider carries out the clean and issues the certificate.

The trade began here. Joseph Malin opened the first recorded combined fish and chip shop in Bow, in the East End, around 1860, and the National Federation of Fish Friers, which made Malin's its first member, later presented it with a plaque as the world's first fish and chip shop. In Covent Garden, the Rock & Sole Plaice, dating from 1871, is London's oldest fish and chip shop still in operation.

Which TR19 frequency band chip shops fall into

BESA's TR19 guidance sets minimum cleaning intervals by daily hours of use: every 3 months for 12 to 16 hours a day, every 6 months for 6 to 12 hours and every 12 months for 2 to 6 hours. A shop frying from 11am to midnight passes 12 hours a day and falls in the quarterly band, while one open for lunch and tea is usually in the six-monthly band. GN86 says many systems need cleaning more often because of the type of cooking as well as the hours, so the provider's grease readings may justify a shorter interval than the table suggests. The TR19 compliance guide sets out the bands.

Chip shop fires in London

London Fire Brigade incident reports show what can happen. In February 2022, at a fish and chip shop on High Road, Woodford Green, the ducting running from the ground to the second floor was completely destroyed and two people were evacuated from the flats above; investigators believed oil residue in a pan ignited and spread into the ducting. In October 2019 a fire at a chip shop with flats above on St Elmo Road, White City, spread into the building's extraction system and damaged half of it. In June 2023 a fire at a chip shop with flats above on Kingston Road, Teddington, was believed to have been caused by a fault with a commercial deep fat fryer. After the Woodford Green fire the Brigade warned owners: "If you don't clean the ducting in your extraction system regularly, you're at a greater risk of ducting fires."

Frying safely between cleans

The Brigade's tips for restaurants and takeaways include having the ducting in your extraction system cleaned regularly, making sure ducting is installed correctly and taking extra care with hot oil, because it can easily overheat and catch fire. Its spokespeople also remind owners to keep the hob, cooker hood and extractor fan clean, because built-up fat and grease can ignite. GN86 adds that no filter is 100% effective and that all internal surfaces of an extract system are affected by grease and oil deposits, and it expects daily or weekly cleaning of canopies and filters by the kitchen operator alongside periodic specialist cleaning.

What a full clean covers

The provider cleans the range canopy and filters, the whole ductwork run and the extract fan, fitting access panels where the duct cannot otherwise be reached. Grease thickness is measured before and after against TR19's 200 micron limit. GN86 expects the report to include the measurements, before and after photographs, recommendations for future cleaning, a sketch highlighting any uncleaned or inaccessible areas with the reason, and a certificate summarising the work. Act on anything flagged: GN86 says that after a fire, fire safety staff check whether highlighted areas were dealt with.

Booking around frying times

The range needs to cool before work starts, so book the clean for after the last fry or on your closed day. Tell us your hours, how the roof or rear yard is reached and whether residents above need notice, and the provider will plan around them. If you run more than one shop, we can arrange one quote covering each, with a certificate per shop and dates staggered so one is always frying. The cost guide explains what affects the price.

Food hygiene inspections

Your food hygiene rating is set by a food safety officer from your borough council, who checks the physical condition of the premises, including cleanliness and ventilation. The time between inspections ranges from six months for the highest risk businesses to two years for lower risk ones, and in England display of the sticker is voluntary, though encouraged. The TR19 certificate is a separate fire safety record.

Chip shops we arrange quotes for

We arrange quotes for chip shops in Whitechapel, Stratford, Walthamstow, Tottenham, Camden Town, Islington, Hammersmith, Ealing, Croydon, Kingston, Greenwich and Peckham.

Services: TR19 extract cleaning · canopy cleaning · ductwork · filters · what it costs

Frequently Asked Questions