From a fire to an armed robbery, there isn’t much Barry Lane hasn’t experienced since opening his fish and chip shop in Windsor 25 years ago.
Originally a hairdresser from Auburn, Barry opted for a complete career change in 1991, moving to the Hawkesbury and opening Windsor Seafoods.
“The hair salon was a family business, it was my trade for 16 years …. I just got sick of it,” Barry said.
“My friend John Crupi was also a hair salon owner at the time and he and I had caravans up here in the Hawkesbury on the river where we would take our families skiing and what have you.
“We both decided to get out of the hair industry and start a fish and chip shop in Windsor.”
Barry said at the time the shop, which is now Windsor Seafoods, was a pet shop.
He said he offered the owners $10,000 and their dream of Windsor Seafoods became a reality.
“I believe when we opened the shop it helped start tourism in Windsor. We would put seats out of the front of the shop and people would stop, they would look around.
“John moved on to open his own seafood shop in Foster 12 months after we started … we’re still best friends to this day.”
Only a few years into his new career Barry hit his first major set back – a fire.
“The shop was closed for 10 months, we had to gut the whole thing and as it was a heritage building the refurb took a long time.”
Once the shop reopened it was all relatively smooth sailing for Barry, until Easter four years ago when he was held up by three men and robbed for more than $50,000 in cash.
“It was Easter Sunday and we had a busy weekend of trade. I was locking up and heading out the back door to my car parked in the lane.
“There were three men, one armed with a gun and one with a baton, they forced me back inside and got me to open the safe.
“It took me three attempts to open it as I was so shaky. Then one of them said to me ‘open it now or i’ll put one in you’.
“I got it open, they took the money and tied my hands up and ran off.”
Barry said since the incident he has changed the way he does lock up at his business. He said the event also pushed him to get his gun license.
“I have it in my head that there will be a home invasion next, so I wanted to get my gun license to feel safer.”
Despite the ups and downs, Barry said he and his wife Susan have loved running their business in the Hawkesbury.
“The shops supported my family, we have a good life – we have loved it.”
