Search is on to find buyer for Hull fish auction – Fishupdate.com
Search is on to find buyer for Hull fish auction Published: 21 September, 2011
An international search has been launched to find a buyer for Fishgate, Hulls fish grading and auction facility, following its liquidation.
International asset consultants Charterfields have been appointed to sell the facility, which was the centrepoint of the citys seafood trade before it was forced to close in June, due to the withdrawal of Icelandic fish supplies.
The Fishgate Hull Fish Auction was built in 2000 with £5 million of public and private investment. It provides a state-of-the-art facility where fish brought from the northern seas off Iceland, Faroe and Norway can be weighed, graded and packed, then sold to buyers or wholesalers.
The 56,000 sq ft temperature-controlled premises includes processing plant and electronic auction room. The business prided itself on being the most quality conscious fresh fish market in western Europe with fish being computer tracked from reception to dispatch to ensure traceability.
Liquidator John Russell from The P & A Partnership commented: The company was not only a casualty of the financial crisis in Iceland but also the reduced haddock quota.
Charterfields have been appointed to sell the processing assets and business, in partnership with property agents GVA Grimley.
Charterfields director Roger Cutting said: We will be exploring all avenues in our attempt to find a buyer and will be looking not only within the UK but also in Europe, Iceland and Norway. Ideally we would like a buyer that could continue to operate the business if not the auction side, then at least the processing plant. However we are considering all options.