THE owner of an award-winning fish and chip shop is about to launch a second restaurant in Gwent.

Lee Humphreys is the man behind Fish Kitchen 1854, in Maesycwmmer, which swept this year's National Fish & Chips Awards, being named the best in Wales and second best in the whole of the UK.

Fresh off that success and a string of other awards, Mr Humphreys is weeks away from opening Fish Kitchen 1931 in Bargoed, taking the date from the year another fish and chip shop, Conti, opened on the site.

“I’m very excited to open this new concept, giving Bargoed a historic fish and chips experience," he said, ahead of the planned opening date of May 29.

The new venture will create between 20 and 30 jobs in various roles, and the final touches are being applied to the restaurant, which Mr Humphreys and his staff want to turn into a themed experience for visitors celebrating the South Wales Valleys' industrial heritage. 

The restaurant has undergone a complete refurbishment with a new mezzanine floor created above the kitchen. It will have table booths designed in theme of a viaduct, and each one will be named after a local coalmine.

The history of the town will also be celebrated, with screens portraying the heritage of the area.

Fish Kitchen 1931 received two grants from the UK Government amounting to £50,000, as well as a further £10,000 grant from Caerphilly Enterprise Fund and a £25,000 grant from the Transforming Towns Fund.

Mr Humphreys said: "Thanks to the support from Caerphilly council’s business team, I will be able to create new jobs and recruit local people as well as promoting the local heritage.

"Without such support, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve our plan. The council has been instrumental in helping to create this new business."

After a visit to the new business, Cllr Jamie Pritchard, Caerphilly County Borough Council's cabinet member for prosperity, regeneration and climate change, said: "It was great to talk to Lee about the plans he has for The Fish Kitchen.

"We’ve been delighted to work closely with him by offering financial assistance, which will help towards to creating such a brilliant new venture."