In 1939 Jack Hall acquired Cowman's old butchers next to the town well and Wellgate Fisheries was born.

Some 50 years later, Ian Shaw and his son, former chef Giles took up the opportunity to purchase Wellgate Fisheries, having traded on markets throughout east Lancashire for a number of years.

Following Ian's untimely death in 1992, Giles used his extensive catering background to start the wholesale division of the business, supplying some of the finest catering establishments in the Ribble Valley. By 2009 this part of the business had outgrown its humble beginnings and the opportunity to expand into a purpose-built facility in a joint venture with Manchester based wholesaler Smith Sagar arose.