#217 – From Burnout to Breakthrough: Geoff Whitehead Returns
Release Date: 06/27/2025
#238 - Business rates, wages and hospitality policy with Allen Simpson and Kate Nicholls
The Ceres Podcast
Stelios is joined by Allen Simpson, CEO of UKHospitality, and Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, for an open and detailed discussion on the pressures facing hospitality businesses across the UK. The conversation explores business rates, rising rateable values, wage policy, VAT, employment reform and why many pubs, restaurants, hotels and fish and chip shops feel increasingly constrained. Allen and Kate explain how recent budget decisions have played out in practice, why promised reforms have fallen short, and what these policies mean for jobs, investment and long-term viability. They also...
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#237 - Trust, pressure and customer loyalty, with Giles Fuchs of Burgh Island Hotel
The Ceres Podcast
Stelios is joined by Giles Fuchs from Burgh Island Hotel for a grounded conversation about what it really takes to run a hospitality business when the pressure is real. Giles shares lessons from building, losing, and rebuilding businesses, including why even a single customer can become your strongest long-term asset if you get the experience right. The discussion explores staffing costs, government policy, and the unintended consequences that hospitality operators feel first, long before they appear in headlines. The episode also looks at trust, personal risk, and the mental load of being...
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#236 - Why hoping for help is not a business plan - Podsquad
The Ceres Podcast
In this Podsquad episode of The Ceres Podcast, Stelios Theocharous is joined by David Nicolaou and Mark Petrou for a frank conversation about the pressures fish and chip businesses are facing right now. The discussion starts with real-world stories from the coalface, including a frozen bank account without warning and the serious consequences of a missed Companies House filing. Those experiences lead into a wider debate about risk, compliance, and why relying on government fixes such as VAT cuts is not a strategy for survival. From there, the Podsquad tackles soaring cod prices, whether cod...
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#235 - What makes a business worth buying or selling with Andrew Markou, Businessesforsale.com
The Ceres Podcast
Stelios is joined by Andrew Markou, CEO and co-founder of . Together they break down what really drives the value of small hospitality businesses, with direct relevance to fish and chip shops. The conversation focuses on why cash flow matters more than turnover when valuing a business, what realistic multiples look like, and how owners can increase value by building systems that reduce reliance on them personally. They also explore succession trends, the do’s and don’ts of improving a business after purchase, and why franchising is growing in the UK, plus what independent operators...
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#234 - The News Review, Grumpy Fryers, Scottish awards and the stories shaping hospitality
The Ceres Podcast
In Episode 234 of The Ceres Podcast News Review, hosts Stelios Theocharous and David Nicolaou break down the week’s most important stories for fish and chip shops and hospitality operators. With their usual mix of clarity, experience and straight talking, they explore what the headlines really mean for independent businesses on the ground. This episode covers: A quick look at David and Craig’s new venture, The Grumpy Fryers, and why fresh trade-led content matters The Scottish awards expanding into England, and how that could raise standards across the UK Thirteen months of decline...
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#233 – Steven Muscat of Yan’s Fish Bar, Cardiff
The Ceres Podcast
Steven Muscat has spent his life behind the counter at one of Cardiff’s best-known family chippies, Yan’s Fish Bar. In this episode, he joins Mark Petrou for a warm, honest catch-up that starts with Steven’s family roots and the story of how the business began, then moves into what it was like growing up in the shop and eventually taking over the reins. Together, they dig into the father-and-son dynamic that shaped Steven’s career, and then zoom out to the big shifts facing the fish and chip trade today — changing customer expectations, portion sizes, fish choices, pricing pressure,...
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#232 - The Real Cost of Standing Still — with Robert Furey, Florigo U.K
The Ceres Podcast
Stelios sits down with Robert Furey, Managing Director of Florigo UK, to talk about how fish and chip shops can stay sharp and profitable in an uncertain economy. They explore the difference between cutting costs and cutting investment, why some operators often pause while others stick to long-term plans, and how replacing ageing ranges can save money through efficiency, reliability, and easier servicing. The conversation also covers pricing confidence and value perception, practical lessons on click-and-collect and delivery, and the essentials many shops overlook — from insurance...
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#231 - Andrew Griffith MP on VAT, Business Rates & Small Business
The Ceres Podcast
Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith MP joins Stelios for a straight-talking conversation about the real challenges facing small businesses and the hospitality sector. From VAT reform and business rates to red tape, hiring struggles, and the pressure on high streets, this episode digs into how government decisions ripple into everyday life for fish and chip shops, pubs, cafés, and independent operators across the country. Andrew draws on decades in business, including senior roles at Sky and Just Eat, to offer a candid insider’s view of Westminster. Stelios pushes the...
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#230 - Leadership, Loyalty & Lessons from Cos Michael of Pisces, Heswall
The Ceres Podcast
This week on The Ceres Podcast, Stelios sits down with Cos Michael, owner of Pisces in Heswall, for a powerful conversation about leadership, loyalty, and longevity in the fish and chip trade. From staffing challenges and delivery platforms to changing customer habits and the art of staying relevant — this episode goes deep on what it really takes to run a modern shop without losing your values. Cos’s honesty and experience shine through. He’s grounded, forward-thinking, and genuinely cares about his team, his customers, and the industry. This is one of those episodes that...
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#229 - Join Jamie, Murray, Edward & Stuart for the Scottish Roundtable
The Ceres Podcast
In this special episode, Jamie Russo sits down with three leading Scottish operators — Edward Thompson (The Principal Café), Murray Watson (The Carron Fish Bar & Carron Catering), and Stuart Atkinson (North Street Chip Shop). Together, they dive into what makes Scotland’s fish and chip trade unique — from rising costs and staffing to changing customer habits and the great fresh vs frozen-at-sea debate. Real talk, practical insights, and plenty of passion from the heart of Scotland’s frying community. Join the and boost your business today. Check...
info_outlineGeoff Whitehead is back—and this time, we’re talking growth, reinvestment, and building for the future. In this episode, Geoff opens up about taking bold risks, managing burnout, and why standing still in business is the fastest way to fall behind.
Want to hear Geoff’s backstory? Catch his first appearance in Episode 140 of The Ceres Podcast. It’s the perfect prequel to this one.
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