The counters at Ron Fowler & Son provide customers with a stunning display of fresh fish, game and poultry. Not surprisingly, this family-run fresh-fish shop in Bookham, near Dorking, is very popular with customers, some of whom have given Ron and his son, Mark, signed photographs – including top chefs Gordon Ramsey and Michael Caine.
Quality ice is vital for the business. To keep up with demand the Fowlers have replaced their old Scotsman ice machine with another Scotsman, an AF 206 capable of producing around 200kg of ice per day. The Scotsman range is distributed in the UK by Hubbard Systems.
The Fowlers opened their shop back in 1988. “We aim to be a good fresh-fish shop, that’s it,” says Mark. “Day to day we are wholly dependent on how good the catch is – in bad weather, we won’t have such a good display!”
When the fish arrives it is cleaned and filleted, then put out in the display counters or stored in boxes in the fridge. Either way, it is packed with flake ice to keep it in prime condition. “You can use cubes, but they’re not as good,” says Mark. “Flake is perfect for looking after fish. It’s gentle on delicate product, it melts consistently and when the fish is packed into boxes the flake ice can get between any gaps, so the fish is really protected.”
The Scotsman is a compact, self-contained machine with an integral ice bin holding up to 60kg of ice. It is sited in the shop’s back room and staff use buckets to carry the ice to wherever it is needed. “We sprinkle ice over the display all day long to ensure everything is in prime condition, so the ice is constantly in demand,” says Mike.
In selecting a new icemaker, the Fowlers were looking not just for a reliable machine but also one that was easy to look after. “The Scotsman is simple to clean, we just give it a scrub out and it’s job done.”
Whilst the functionality and quality of build were important buying criteria, the back-up service and customer support from the supplier are important, too. “The guys at Hubbard were very helpful and were able to supply a machine very quickly, from stock, they were much faster than anyone else and the price was very competitive,” says Mark.
Scotsman @ Fowler & Son
The AF 206 at Fowler & Son is the largest of Scotsman’s self-contained flake ice machines. It measures w950 x d605 x h1006mm (legs + 120mm) and produces up to 200kg of flake ice per day. The smallest model in the range, the AF 80, produces 70kg per day. The largest modular machines can produce 2,500kg per day.
Their low water consumption makes Scotsman flake ice machines an environmentally-friendly choice, since up to 98% of the water used in production becomes ice.
For more information on the full range of Scotsman ice machines, and details of local stockists, freephone Hubbard Systems on 0800 616559.
Tel: 01473 350045
Email: sales@hubbardsystems.co.uk
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