Mother Hubbard's chippie has opened in Ilford with crowds patiently queuing to make the most of 45p fish and chips.

London's second Mother Hubbard's franchise opened in Cranbrook Road at 11am this morning (July 23) with the first 1,000 customers getting fish and chips for a bargain price.

A queue of people lined up outside the 16 seat eatery with store directors saying they arrived before 10am after seeing an ad on Tik Tok.

Ilford Recorder: People starting queuing for Mother Hubbard's promotional 45p fish and chips before 10am.People starting queuing for Mother Hubbard's promotional 45p fish and chips before 10am. (Image: Yaseen Yusuf)

Yaseen Yusuf, 40, opened the food outlet with his younger brother Zuber Yusef, 39.

"It's very busy. I'm surprised to see so many people queuing up for fish and chips in 30 degree heat," said Yaseen. "The queue is going up the road across to the roundabout.

"People have been asking to take pictures with the mascot, they're enjoying the fish and chips, the promotion is going really well."

From July 24, the outlet will be offering its full menu which includes a range of pies and pasties as well as mushy peas and sauces.

Yaseen said the brothers wanted to diversify their business portfolio and owning a food outlet was a long held dream.

"I already own a car rental business and me and my brother have been looking to get into the food business for a while and this has been the perfect fit.

"We met the franchise owner, we tried the food, the food it spot on. The batter's very crispy and stays fresh for a long time and I just love the concept.

"Inside they've got a shark tank, they've got videos of a fish tank. It's really presentable, you'll never see a fish and chip shop like this, it's really interactive, for children as well."

The promotional price harks back to May 3, 1972 when Mother Hubbard's opened its first chippie in Bradford and the cost of a portion was less than 50p.

"We've got family who own a branch in Bolton, Lancashire so we got introduced that way and Mother Hubbard's is a famous fish and chip brand up north.

"Mother Hubbard's has got one open near Barking, they are going to open a third in Tottenham in the next few weeks.

"It's very exciting and I was born in Ilford so we know the community well as well."

Mother Hubbard's is open from 11am to 11pm every day.