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From beach shack to The Glasshouse — fishy tale hits the big screen

The remarkable story of a fifth-generation family business famous for its award-winning fish and chips is set to take centre stage at one of the North East’s best-loved venues.

World renowned South Shields firm Colmans is celebrating the centenary of its Ocean Road restaurant throughout 2026.

And a documentary charting the family’s Italian roots is coming to The Glasshouse International Centre For Music in October following a sold-out premiere earlier this year.

“In January we decided to invite a few family and friends to The Customs House in South Shields for a screening of the film and a Q&A afterwards,” explains Richard Colman Ord.

“Before we knew it we’d sold out and everyone had an amazing evening.

“Chris [Jewitt] and Dan [Prince] from the We Are Local Heroes podcast — who put the film together — hosted the whole thing and they did such a great job.

“As soon as it was over people were messaging us to ask when the next screening was! We didn’t really have any plans to do it again but bringing the film to The Glasshouse was an opportunity too good to miss.”

Out And About With The Colmans follows brothers Richard and Dominic Colman Ord and their parents to Tuscany.

Dad Richard Ord MBE shows his sons the family’s original home in the picturesque Italian town of Barga.

And the Colmans are soon seen throwing themselves into the community’s annual fish and chip festival — 19 days of food and culture that celebrates the historic ties between Barga and Italian ex-pats who moved to Scotland and the north of England.

Chris Jewitt, co-host of the We Are Local Heroes Podcast, said: “The Colmans trusted us with something deeply personal: telling the story of their family, their history and a hundred years of a business that South Shields has grown up with.

“Twelve months ago we got on a plane to Barga with them to help bring that story to life. Taking that film to The Glasshouse, with a live podcast afterwards, is a proud moment for all of us.”

Out And About With The Colmans hits The Glasshouse on October 11 with all profits going towards supporting the new Colman Foundation.

The two-part show will feature the full film followed by a Q&A-style live podcast featuring Richard Ord, wife Frances, Richard Jnr and Dominic.

All four brought the house down earlier this year and audience members can expect rare and amusing insights into the family, their business and a memorable trip to Tuscany.

Colleen Hamilton, Manager, Audience Experience and Growth at The Glasshouse, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Colmans and their story to The Glasshouse.

“It’s a brilliant example of the stories and characters that make the North East such a great place to live. We know audiences here love a good night out, and we’re looking forward to giving them the chance to hear more about the family, their history and their journey to Barga.”

Colmans’ centenary is already the subject of a revealing exhibition within South Shields Museum and earlier this year The Princess Royal gave the family’s Seafood Temple her seal of approval after enjoying a fish and chip lunch on South Tyneside.

Richard and Dom acquired Whitburn’s Village Café in June and last month the brothers and co-directors broke ground on a new coastal village adjacent to the Seafood Temple.

“We were determined to cement our legacy during the centenary year and double down on our commitment to South Shields and the surrounding area,” added Dom.

“As a family we’re very proud of where we’ve come from and I hope that comes across in the film.

“I don’t want to give anything away but we had so much fun making it and the plan is to return to Barga very soon.

“In the meantime, going to The Glasshouse feels like another major milestone as we mark 100 years of Colmans Fish and Chips.”

Tickets for Out And About With The Colmans at The Glasshouse are available here 

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Rushworth .