Our Story
In 1979 Tony Rutherford opened a wet fish shop in Allhalland Street in Bideford which quickly gathered a reputation for exceptional quality and freshness. Queues would gather outside from 8AM each day and due to demand, in 1984 Tony bought Passmores Fishmongers in Butchers Row, Barnstaple. Awards quickly followed and in 1987 both shops won a highly sought after Seafood Quality Award which led Tony to enter the seafood wholesale market due to exceptional demand for his fish.
Our Journey Continues
Today, we have over 100 wholesale customers here in the UK and over 50 customers throughout Europe. In the UK, our catch is landed each evening before being delivered through a network of our refrigerated lorries to Billingsgate Market in London to no less than 10 wholesale clients. In fact, many Michelin starred chefs demand our fish, fresh each day, and we supply some of the worlds finest restaurants. Our reputation is growing internationally and we are becoming known throughout the world for our quality.
Our decision to move out of the retail sector was mostly due to rising rents and rates in the High Street but it was always Tony’s dream to open a fresh fish counter again. Then, along came Nathan! Nathan first began working with Tony in Passmores fish shop in Butchers Row. Tony deeply believed in Nathan’s potential and together they formed the Devon and Cornwall Fish Company Limited. Now at last, Tony is back in retail and a dynamic partnership has been formed that truly understands every aspect of the trade. Torridge District Council have played an essential part in our journey, agreeing to reopen Appledore Fish Dock, which is the oldest fishing port in England.Â
The Next Chapter
Tony is the 4th generation of his family in the fishing industry, he has over 60 years experience which began by washing his first fish box out for his grandfather at the age of 5. Armed with this wealth of knowledge, it’s the aim of Tony and Nathan to bring you the very best catch of fresh, seasonal and sustainable fish from our region and beyond. Here’s to the next chapter!
