Telford chip shop pioneer Arthur Brenkley dies, aged 75

Arthur Brenkley won the tender for the town's first ever fish takeaway in Malinslee from Telford Development Corporation in 1974.

He died peacefully in his sleep, aged 75.

Oswestry-born Mr Brenkley ran two shops, both called Arthur – Your Friendly Fryer, and had a mobile van too before selling up to concentrate on his other business interests in 1997.

His wife Carole said: "His death was a complete shock to everyone who knew him.

"Arthur was irrepressible and was always finding new projects. Even last week he was working on his latest boat, as a member of the Yacht Club at Barmouth, topping trees and planting saplings."

She added: "Arthur was a self-made man who believed in hard work – but that was balanced by a wicked sense of humour.

"Arthur was the life and soul of the party and wouldn't miss an opportunity to perform. As early as 1981 the Shropshire Star reported that on one occasion Arthur ended up doing an impromptu cabaret for a customer who had booked him to supply fish and chips for a function, but had forgotten to book any entertainment."

When the first shop was built in Malinslee, Mr Brenkley overcame competition from hundreds of other applicants to win the tender from the development corporation, and later went on to open the town's second chip shop in Brookside.

The openings were carried out in style with the aid of Coronation Street star Johnny Briggs, alias Mike Baldwin.

Among the unusual menu options he devised in his time in charge of the chippies were deep fried Christmas pudding – a popular delicacy during the festive season in 1996 – and battered frogs' legs.

After selling the shops, Mr Brenkley went on to become landlord of the Cross Guns in Newtown, where he found further fame when he pushed for a boycott of French goods after the transport of British beef was banned in the country amid the BSE crisis.

He retired 10 years ago, and lived in a house he had built himself in Jackfield.