Great Bedfordian: Gary Hooper

This month’s Great Bedfordian is fishmonger extraordinaire, Gary Hooper of GCH Fishmongers on Newnham Street.

Gary started in retail in 1980 at Bejams in the bus station in Bedford, and in 1981 he went on to work at Safeway where he stayed for 23 years.

He has also mentored the next generation of fishmongers at the Billingsgate Training School and ran a consultancy business to train fishmongers at Tesco. In 2010 he was elected as President of the National Federation of Fishmongers.

Gary Hooper of GCH Fishmongers in Bedford looking lovingly at a big fish — Find someone that looks at you like Gary looks at this fish. Image: GCH Fishmongers

In 2015, Gary opened his Bedford shop with his youngest son George. The business on Newnham Street has grown rapidly and they have been joined by older son, Oliver, followed by Gary’s wife of 37 years, Caroline. In 2019 Gary was recognised as the first UK Master Fishmonger, with a presentation of the award by the Princess Royal.

The business opened a processing factory in Marston Mortaine last year which services over 100 of its wholesale customers, including the Higgins Pantry, Amici, La Terraza, The Birch at Woburn, Fratellis, The Black Horse at Ireland and many more across the county including a 12-pub chain that with sites from Hemel Hempstead to Ely.

Phew! Over to you Gary…

Name: Gary Hooper

Occupation: Owner and MD of GCH Fishmongers

Born here or blow in? Born here on the 1 January 1964.

Plenty of seating. Image: The Longholme Cafe. — Food with a view at the Longholme Cafe. Image: The Longholme Cafe.

Best breakfast in Bedford? The Longholme Cafe do a mean Breakfast Roll and the scenery is particularly pleasant which is a bonus.

Best boozer? The Herd and Beerfly – not technically boozers but I like them. I also use The Ship in St Cuthberts Street.

Best coffee or cuppa? I would have to say Vanilla Tree.

Coffee to go at Vanilla Tree is served in their signature bright yellow coffee cups — Coffee to go at Vanilla Tree. Image: Vanilla Tree/Instagram

Best gig you’ve seen in Bedford? Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel at The Corn Exchange

Ever read John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress? No

Ever eaten a Bedfordshire Clanger? My maternal Grandmother made a mean Bedfordshire Clanger which my sister Julie and I used to enjoy as children when we went to stay with my grandparents in Harrold.

An aerial view of the beautiful riverside setting of the Danish Camp. The image shows the cabin style cafe with a veranda of outdoor seating, plus picnic tables on the lawn overlooking the River Great Ouse and a canal boat on the mooring deck. image Dan Davies 2-D Photography — An aerial view of the beautiful riverside setting of the Danish Camp. Image Dan Davies at 2-D Photography

An off-the-beaten-track gem that everyone should know about? Danish Camp, enjoy walking there with my lovely English Bull Terrier Boycee.

Best Bedfordian? It’s got to be Sir Wiliam Harpur on a serious level and on a personal level my late brother-in-law, Ian Wagstaff AKA Waggy a real Bedfordian character who loved the town.

Three words that best sum up Bedford? Welcoming, multicultural and vibrant