Largest stand-alone restaurant on La Digue opens |19 June 2015

Fish Trap is the name of the largest stand-alone restaurant and bar on La Digue which was officially opened on Monday this week.
La Digue is known for good food and has many restaurants but they are all attached to a hotel or guesthouse.

Until the arrival of the Fish Trap, Tarosa had been the only stand-alone restaurant in the heart of the island at La Passe.

Carl and Sydney Mills wanted to make a break from the traditional hotel restaurants models and opted for an up-market stand-alone restaurant and bar with a view and 'feet in the sand' approach.

In May 2015, Carl and Sydney Mills positioned their purpose built Fish Trap restaurant as La Digue’s second stand-alone restaurant and bar at La Passe. The Mills brothers speak of their prime seafront location as their key USP (unique selling point) as this spectacular view attracts international and local clientele.

The interior of the restaurant is a reflection of Sydney Mill’s passion for interior design, varying weaving technique of fish trap with a fresh and bright stream of colours such as marine blue and green to simulate the sea effect.

It took the two brothers 12 months to build from scratch the restaurant and bar, turning it into the perfect spot for laid back customers and a profitable family investment.

The Mills brothers are confident that they can make the food and beverage offering in the Fish Trap restaurant and bar compelling and profitable.

During the first month of its soft opening, Fish Trap has done “extremely well”, according to the brothers.

With seating capacity of over 100 covers and a signature menu of 90% fresh sea food, the Fish Trap owners weigh its success on its positioning and concept as great contributors to top up its income.

Unveiling the commemorative plaque to officially open the Fish Trap, the Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St Ange said the restaurant & bar has grabbed the heart of La Digue.

“Today, I am happy that two Seychellois have grabbed the heart of La Digue. Fish Trap is the biggest stand-alone restaurant & bar on La Digue and what is remarkable is that it is in the hands of Seychellois. Our government launched an appeal only a couple of years ago for Seychelles to claim back it tourism industry. For this to happen more Seychellois needed to join the industry, to be seen and to be counted as being part and parcel of that industry that remains the pillar of the island's economy. Today we are happy to see Carl and Sydney Mills open a new purpose built facility that is a real asset for La Digue's tourism industry,” Minister St Ange said.

Minister St Ange added that just a week ago President James Michel, in the National Consultative Forum, discussed at length on the future of the tourism Industry.
The minister said that President Michel has stressed on the need for our country to re-look at the land use plan and the carrying capacity of the islands to ensure more Seychellois take ownership of the tourism industry.

Minister St Ange added that the opening of the Fish Trap restaurant & bar is “a land mark establishment” as it falls at an opportune time with an opening following President Michel's message.

“Today's opening of this purpose built restaurant shows that Seychellois have understood the message and they are putting their money where their mouth is. The Fish Trap restaurant & bar is raising the barometer on La Digue by ensuring visitors an authentic Creole atmosphere with a Creole ownership,” said Minister St Ange.

Reviving a family business

When Carl and Sydney Mills opened the Fish Trap restaurant & bar, they decided not to go too far to find a name for their new restaurant. The two brothers resurrected their uncle’s Fish Trap restaurant & bar of the 1980s at Baie St Anne on Praslin. Keeping family value close at heart, Carl and Sydney only brought a touch of modernity to their own Fish Trap.  Sydney said the former Fish Trap made in its time positioned the local fish trap bamboo weaving as central to its decoration. He explained the new Fish Trap has kept the weaving technique of the old Fish Trap, with a blend of modernity.

Fish Trap is not the only family business revived by Carl and Sydney; the two brothers, who are partners in various businesses on La Digue, have also revived the Cabanes des Anges guesthouse, the hotel that was proudly owned by their grandfather Karl St Ange since the early 1970s. The original Cabanes des Anges Hotel was built soon after the official opening of the Seychelles International Airport.