THE iconic O'Sheas chip shop will be marking its 70th anniversary on Barry Island this year with a season of celebrations.

Owner Craig O'Shea, the grandson of the man who first opened the cafe in April 1946, has been looking back over the fortunes of the family owned business, and also opened up plans for a summer of celebration to the public.

The shop was first opened in 1946 by Frank Thompson, using his pay out after the war. Known simply as The Chip Shop, the cafe immediately became a family run business with his sister and cousins helping out.

In the 1960's his daughter Barbara Thompson took over the business and later married Dennis O'Shea who stepped up when his wife left to raise her two sons.

After watching his dad run the cafe for more than 30 years, Craig O 'Shea took over in 1994, renaming the business O'Sheas Fish and Chip Cafe.

Speaking about the endurance of the seafront shop, Mr O'Shea said: "The location isn't any sort of guarantee. We've seen all the ups and the downs over the years."

Father of five Mr O'Shea explained that although the seaside holiday business was thriving during his grandfather's time at the helm, by the time of the package holiday boom in the 1980s, the business had began to suffer.

"Of course, 1994 when I took over was when the Butlins holiday camp shut down," he said. "The next seven years we were struggling to make any money, it was tough.

"But everything always moves in circles and the combination of what I call 'the Gavin and Stacey effect' and the economic recession, when people started holidaying locally again, was one of the best things that have happened to Barry Island."

Mr O'Shea, 42, said that the return of holidaymakers to Barry Island and the recent resurgence brought on by regeneration and Henry Danter's arrival at the Pleasure Park are only partly responsible for the businesses current success.

He said: "The key is our pride in what we do, attention to detail, a good quality product at a reasonable price and always striving for high standards. In all the years we've been here we've never settled, we've evolved with the times."

Mr O'Shea wants to spend this year's summer season celebrating the 70th anniversary with a series of events and has reached out via social media for ideas from the public.

Some of the ideas suggested so far involve travelling back in time via period outfits for staff, free food for the first 70 customers on certain days,

Mr O'Shea wants customers to come up with some ideas on how the business can spend this summer season celebrating their 70th anniversary. If you have any ideas contact O'Sheas via social media on Twitter @Osheascafe or on Facebook by searching for O'Shea's Cafe and Takeaway.