February 22, 2022
Aaron Ramsdale has joined Emile Smith Rowe, Rob Holding and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang in supporting local businesses, this time with local chip shop, the Chip Inn as part of the Arsenal Supporting Supporters series.
Inspired by player-business partnerships of yesteryear and kicked off by local pub, The Tollington and Rob Holding, this is the fourth instalment in a series of local businesses pairing up with members of the Arsenal men’s and women’s teams to raise awareness of their services and drive footfall on and around matchday. Many local businesses and community organisations who surround the local area were just as pleased as the club to see fans return to Emirates Stadium this season after matches were played behind closed doors.
Alongside Arsenal players, a variety of local businesses feature in the campaign, some of which are well known to Arsenal fans and others that need the extra support and awareness. Along with adverts which are aired across the businesses’ and club channels - including the stadium’s big screens - the businesses are a part of Arsenal fixtures and feature on the perimeter boards and inside the matchday programme.
“Aaron was such a down to earth guy!”
Murat Gokmen has been the owner of the Chip Inn for two years, but his family have been associated with the traditional fish and chip shop on Holloway Road for more than 20 years. Murat attended Holloway School and grew up playing football at Highbury’s JVC Centre and the pitches on Market Road where he played against some of our ex-players, including Andy Cole.
A longstanding favourite with match-going fans, Arsenal staff and the local community, Murat tells us why he took over the business and the thrill of being associated with Arsenal.
“Some of my family had been involved with the Chip Inn for decades, but when the pandemic struck and its future looked really uncertain, I decided to buy the business and see if I could make a go of it,” says Murat who is supported by his business partner and friend, Ferit.
“We lost the matchday trade when the games were behind closed doors, which is key for us and there were long periods when we couldn’t open the shop and only provide take away. But we wanted to modernise the Chip Inn and give it an online presence, so we were able to still get food to the local community through delivery. This was really important to me because there are a lot of older people who had always gone to that chip shop and we were able to still get food to them.
“The Chip Inn has been there for 60 years, it’s a big part of the community and I think it was really important that it managed to survive the pandemic and now, what Arsenal are providing for us, will hopefully help us as we come out of this situation stronger.”
As a fan, welcoming Aaron Ramsdale and the legendary David Seaman – who also appears in the advert – to his business has been a huge thrill.
“The campaign has been brilliant! Working with the Arsenal staff – I’m actually ama
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