By ‘We are England’ showcases one night at Grimsby’s Fish Market
‘The Night Shift’ is a new series brought out by the BBC that delves into different industries to highlight its workforce and life.
This week, the show travelled to Grimsby to showcase a night shift at the fish market as it prepares to open the following morning.
According to the documentary, 12% of all workers now work nights and 62% of night workers are men.
The program documents the arrival of the fish from the container ships, the weighing and sorting of the fish to be ready for the market when customers flock to the traditional shout auction, with merchants crowding around to bid on the fish.
Grimsby was once the biggest fishing port in the world, with trawlers reporting bringing in up to 500 tonnes of fish a day during the 1960s.
The lorries now deliver 200 tonnes of imported fish a week, with auctions commencing at 7 am.
The programme references ‘back in the day’ when Grimsby was a bustling fishing port – one night worker said: “now only crab and lobster are brought to Grimsby by boat, it’s not the thriving industry it used to be”
“What were once fishing grounds have now been converted into offshore wind farms. It’s a shadow of its former self”.
One employee said: “It’s physically exhausting work, but necessary to ensure a plentiful supply of fish for our chip shops and fish counters”.
The episode aired February 2nd and is now available on BBC iplayer.
What did you think of the show? Let us know in the comments!
