In the 150 years since Joseph Malin is said to have opened the country’s first fish and chip shop in Cleveland Street, London the classic takeaway meal has changed very little.
A survey in 2009 reported that the nation’s favourite accompaniment to fish and chips is salt and vinegar (51 per cent) - vinegar was first splashed over fish and chips by Victorian cook, Eliza Acton, as a means of sweetening the fish - followed by tomato ketchup (15 per cent) and mushy peas (8 per cent).
The hunger for a fish supper reached its peak in 1927 when there were about 35,000 fish and chip shops in the UK. Now there are about 11,500 (that’s eight chip shops for every McDonalds).
Today shops are judged on their sustainable sourcing practices, customer service, hygiene and staff training, and most importantly, the quality of their fish and chips.
Last year, the ethically sound Anstruther Fish Bar and Restaurant in Fife was crowned champion chippy.
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According to Nikki Hawkins, the project manager and a judge for the competition, “Many fish and chip shops are giving customers the opportunity to try different kinds of fish, such as pollack and coley, as a way of addressing sustainability.”
The organisers Seafish provides “buyers’ top tips” to encourage responsible seafish sourcing. For example, the fish supplier needs to know the management stock from which the fish has been caught and use traceability systems to assure the origin of the product.
The winner of the 22nd national Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition will be announced on January 21 at a ceremony in London.
Tell us about your favourite chippy in the comment box at the bottom of the page.
TOP 10 CHIPPIES
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1. Linford’s Traditional Fish & Chips, Market Deeping, Peterborough, Eastern England
With a 36-year family history in the fish and chips business it’s no surprise that Paul Linford has featured in the competition on several occasions.
Serving mainly cod (steamed, floured or battered), the shop prides itself on its high level of customer service and quality products. When available from sustainable sources, Paul also serves haddock, plaice, lemon sole and huss.
A very traditional fish and chip shop, the building dates back to 1771 and was a former stables and coach house, before it became a counting house and then latterly a butcher’s.
Linford’s Traditional Fish & Chips, 6 Market Place, Market Deeping, Peterborough, PE6 8EA
2. Finnegan’s, Porthcawl, Wales
No stranger to the competition, Huw Jones, owner of Finnegan’s Fish Bars in Wales is the current Welsh champion and a former UK champion for his shop in Bridgend.
Located in the seaside town of Porthcawl, Finnegan’s batterless cod is one of several specials that cause long queues out of the shop door.
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Jones and his team source all their fish from sustainable sources and count cod, haddock, plaice and pollock and hake as regulars on the menu.
A favourite with Welsh celebrities - Ruth Jones of Gavin and Stacey is a regular visitor - the shop has also hosted Hollywood star Michael Sheen.
Finnegan’s Fish Bar, Unit 6 Broadlands District Centre, Gentle Way, Bridgend
3. Metro Fish Bar, Bury, Lancashire, North West England
The Metro Fish Bar has only been open for one year but owners David and Suzanne Winfield have already made quite an impression on the locals by serving a delicious fish pie as well as traditional fish and chips.
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A fish and chips fan since he was a boy, Winfield always knew he wanted to run a fish and chip shop. By serving a variety of sustainable species including skate, pollock, crab and potted shrimp the shop appeals to a wide variety of tastes.
Metro Fish Bar, 825 Manchester Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 9PT
4. Atlantic Fast Food, Scotland
Making its debut appearance, Atlantic Fast Food in Coatbridge, Glasgow, has been voted Scotland’s top chippy.
Owner Giovanni Fionda is a Scot with Italian heritage whose parents have run fish and chip shops for many years.
All food served in the shop is prepared and cooked by a fully trained chef and everything is sourced from sustainable Scottish waters. Haddock is the most popular fish of choice for customers, with scampi served occasionally.
Atlantic Fast Food, 155 Calder Street, Coatbridge, ML5 4QR
5. Scooby Snax, Brightlingsea, nr Colchester, London and South East England
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Located in the seaside town of Brightlingsea, Scooby Snax is run by John McNeil, a former chef in the RAF. This is the second year running the shop has been crowned the best in London and the South East and its reputation means people come from all over Essex to sample his top-class fish suppers.
The shop serves an impressive array of seafood including cod, haddock, hake, salmon, plaice, lemon sole, tuna, squid and pollack. Fish can be griddled or fried and served with chips, a jacket potato or salad.
Scooby Snax, 3 Church Road, Brightlingsea, Colchester, CO7 0JE
6. The Fish and Chicken Inn in Ballymena, Northern Ireland
In less than a year the Fish and Chicken Inn has put itself firmly on the map. Owner Brian Surgeon is a believer in attention to detail and this is evident in every area of the shop – from the well-designed menus and consistently high quality product to impeccable customer service.
The Fish and Chicken Inn, 47 Ballmoney Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AN
7. Daniels Fish & Chips, Weymouth, South West England
Open since 1996, Daniels has made a name for itself as the best in Central and Southern England. Focusing on sourcing a quality product from sustainable Icelandic waters, the shop staff pride themselves on their customer service. All employees undergo regular training on the industry, and they are happy to provide recommendations and advice on what to eat and what’s in season.
159 Abbotsbury Road, Weymouth, DT4 0TA (T: 01305 787720)
8. Royal Fisheries, Whitby, North East England
This shop has been in the Fusco family for more than 40 years and current owner Carol Fusco has worked there since she was still at school. The shop’s home-made fish cakes are legendary in the local area and by using fully traceable fish from sustainable sources, the team take the quality of its seafood very seriously. The best seller is cod but haddock, plaice, lemon sole, halibut, pollack and the famous Whitby whole tail scampi feature regularly on the menu.
No stranger to movie stars, the shop featured in the 1998 movie Captain Jack. Telling the story of a Whitby skipper, the film starred Bob Hoskins, Sadie Frost and Maureen Lipman.
Royal Fisheries, 48 Baxtergate, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1BL
9. Great British Eatery, Birmingham, Midlands
Set up in 2007 by two school friends, Conrad Brunton and Andrew Insley, who met at Haybridge Sixth Form College 11 years ago, the Great British Eatery was designed to combine a traditional menu with a modern edge.
Served alongside Icelandic cod and haddock is a selection of British beers and ciders and customers can even indulge in Cornish Ice Cream for pudding. Brunton and Insley take the quality of the food they serve very seriously and that’s why they employ Cambridgeshire’s Young Chef of the Year, Chris James, to help create the best fish and chips in the area.
The shop has a fantastic reputation in the local area. In fact Birmingham’s three Michelin-starred chefs Glynn Purnell, Luke Tipping and Richard Turner are all regular customers.
13 Francis Road, Birmingham, B16 8LP
10. Broughton Fish & Chips, Milton Keynes, Central & South England
Owners of the shop, Stephen and Deborah Wilding, obtained the Seafish Friers Quality Award just four months after taking over the shop. Winning is in their blood as the couple previously ran a chip shop in Biggleswade, which was regional winner for central England in the Fish & Chip Shop of the Year Competition two years running in 2005 and 2006.
To ensure the business is environmentally friendly, all packaging is recycled and fresh fish is sourced from sustainable stocks. Potatoes are sourced locally where possible and state-of-the-art environmentally friendly equipment is used on site.
81 Tanfield Lane, Broughton, Milton Keynes, MK10 9NJ