logo
Ayrshire chip shop given 'faultless' review by critic after 'perfect' meal

Ayrshire chip shop given 'faultless' review by critic after 'perfect' meal

Daily Record16 hours ago
"This is spectacular."
A popular Ayrshire chippy has been given a rare perfect 10 by one of the UK's top fast food reviewers.

The Fish Works in Largs was given 10 out of 10 and described as "completely and utterly faultless" in a recent review by the Food Review Club.

Run by Matthew Davies-Binge, the Food Review Club has been reviewing fast food outlets across the UK since 2018 and has become popular on social media.

The Fish Works is a family run business spearheaded by husband and wife team Ross and Tiffany Irvin.
Matt spent two days in Scotland over the summer and took in The Fish Works after receiving recommendations which included the venue's scampi.
Ordering, a fish supper with curry sauce, a portion of scampi and two cans of Irn Bru, the critic received the "perfect" meal for £28.90.

Although his Ayrshire geography left a little to be desired - claiming Largs was on the east coast on the shores of Loch Shira - Matt was still left with "such a big smile on my face".

Even before trying one of Ayrshire's finest fish suppers, Matt said his "spidey senses are tingling", adding: "I think I know what I'm looking at right now and I'm almost aroused."
Trying the scampi first, Matt said: "I have never had scampi like that before. Oh my god. That is my first indication of the batter and I am even more excited [for the fish]."
Of the fish supper, Matt said: "First up, the chip. Nice colour, crispy, the perfect chip. Maybe the best chip I've ever had. Fluffy as you like on the inside, crispy on the outside."

Trying the curry sauce next, Matt said: "That is the consistency I want from my curry sauce. Nice viscosity and a little bit of a drip to it."
Finally, sampling the fish - freshly caught Scottish haddock - Matt said: "The batter is almost see-through. Scottish haddock at its finest. That is so good.
"It is like fish butter. Oh my god. It is so light. The fish is almost fluffy. The batter melts on your tongue. This is spectacular."

Overall, Matt said: "What a great fish and chip shop. One of my favourite all time portions of fish and chips. This is going to join a very exclusive club.
"Completely and utterly faultless. 10 out of 10. I've got no constructive criticism and, beyond that, this has a piece of magic about it.
"Everything is scintillating. I absolutely bloody love it. Largs, The Fish Works, this is the dream of Food Review Club."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Alex Cole-Hamilton: Kate Forbes has chosen a different direction - perhaps it is time for Scotland to do the same
Alex Cole-Hamilton: Kate Forbes has chosen a different direction - perhaps it is time for Scotland to do the same

Scotsman

time37 minutes ago

  • Scotsman

Alex Cole-Hamilton: Kate Forbes has chosen a different direction - perhaps it is time for Scotland to do the same

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced she is standing down at the next Holyrood election (Picture: Paul Campbell) February 6 2020 must be one of the most dramatic days the Scottish Parliament has ever seen. On the day of the Scottish Budget, the SNP Finance Secretary tasked with delivering it was all over the front page of The Sun for sending creepy texts to a schoolboy. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Following Derek Mackay's resignation, a then 29-year-old junior minister Kate Forbes stepped in to deliver the budget with just a few hours' notice. Unsurprisingly, she became Finance Secretary days later and now holds the office of Deputy First Minister of Scotland. Her considerable political standing at such a young age means that not many would have predicted her decision to step down as an MSP at the next Scottish Parliament election. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kate has spoken about struggling to balance a young family with a four-hour commute to Edinburgh. I know that politics, like many other workplaces, can take a huge toll on family life. The choices that we make about how to manage the two are, ultimately, very personal. However, it's important to look at what her departure says about Scottish politics as a whole. For a start, Kate Forbes joins a long line of figures within the SNP announcing they will not be seeking re-election, the majority of them women. Interestingly, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who can be considered Forbes' male counterpart both in terms of age and standing in the party, is doing the very opposite. In fact, he has been accused of putting pressure on older female colleagues in the Scottish Parliament to stand aside so that he can step in. If we are to make Scottish politics more inclusive, then more will need to be done to make it compatible with a healthy family life. It's also on all of us to push back against the hateful abuse that causes too many talented women to pack their bags or skip politics in the first place. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad On a broader political level, Kate's decision further weakens the SNP, a party already struggling to justify its terrible record. I may disagree with Kate on many issues but it's hard to argue that she isn't one of the more respected SNP figures. No wonder one journalist noted, 'the last reason for voting SNP has just walked out the door.' After nearly 20 years, everyone can see the reality of an ailing SNP government. An NHS on its knees, the ferries fiasco, broken promises on schools and a sluggish economy, to name just a few. It is the reality of those failures which gets me out of bed in the morning. Scotland needs a change not only in Kate Forbes' seat of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, where my party are hard on the SNP's heels, but in every corner of Scotland. That's why you will see Liberal Democrats campaigning tirelessly on the issues that matter, whether it's getting you fast access to a GP or an NHS dentist, fixing the crisis in care or cutting your energy bills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The drama of Holyrood can be fascinating, but it should never detract from the realities facing our constituents; Kate's departure has thrust them into the spotlight even more sharply. Kate Forbes has chosen a different direction - perhaps it is time for Scotland to do the same.

Water boss accused of negotiating pay for just 15 minutes
Water boss accused of negotiating pay for just 15 minutes

The Herald Scotland

time2 hours ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Water boss accused of negotiating pay for just 15 minutes

Mr Plant earns £483,000 - £100,000 more than his predecessor. [[Scottish Water]] did not confirm the length of time spent in negotiations by Mr Plant, but told The Herald the boss had been "fully engaged" in the process. Labour's Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon has accused the water body of failing to "negotiate in good faith" with trade unions. Strikes by Scottish Water workers concluded after an improved offer was accepted by unions. The pay deal for 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years is worth a minimum of £2,850 for members on salary bands one to six. Staff on band seven salaries will receive an additional £3,030 while band eight workers gain another £3,771. There were 10 days of strike action this year after the employer initially offered a pay rise of £1,050 for the lowest grade salaries. This, and a later 7% increase over two years, had been rejected by staff. Read more: Despite the strikes being called off, unions remain unhappy and have urged the company to reduce its reliance on contractors and agency staff, with approximately £3 million spent during this year's strikes. In a letter to the First Minister, seen exclusively by The Herald, Ms Lennon condemned the "unacceptable" situation which has led to Scottish Water executives being exempt from public sector pay policy. "I have seen clear evidence that Scottish Water failed to negotiate in good faith with unions of the past year to settle this dispute," Ms Lennon wrote. "Senior managers appeared to take a 'hands-off' approach and there was little engagement with staff. "I have been told chief executive Alex Plant attended just 15 minutes of talks. To put that into perspective, Unison's branch secretary Tricia McArthur logged 200 hours of work on the issue." While Mr Swinney has previously expressed support for public ownership, Ms Lennon warned the water firm appeared to be "drifting towards a completely different model". "The company has made significant decisions on how services are delivered without any involvement from unions, including a major transformation programme," she added. Read more: "Due to the direct impact on staff, those changes deserve detailed scrutiny." The Labour MSP, whose parliamentary register of interests state she is a member of the GMB and Unite the Union, told the First Minister: "It is time for the Scottish Government to act. Ministers must remind [[Scottish Water]] that it is publicly owned - and must operate in the interest of staff and the wider public." The Herald revealed the Scottish Water boss's pay rise in February, despite public sector pay rules stating he was expected to receive a 10% cut. The increase was a record in recent years with performance bonuses and benefits amounting to £170,000 on top of a £246,000 basic salary. A Scottish Water spokesperson said: 'The trade union members who work at Scottish Water voted strongly in favour of our recent pay deal. 'The more than 7.5% increase over two years builds on a decade where pay deals have kept well ahead of inflation, reflecting the company's commitment to its people and fair work principles. 'Alex Plant, our chief executive, was fully engaged in decision making with negotiations led by Peter Farrer, our chief operating officer, and Lynne Highway, our director for people, as part of the consultation and negotiating structure agreed by the Joint Trade Unions. Each dedicated significant amounts of time to pay talks over many months. 'Publicly owned Scottish Water is the UK's top performing water company with 94% customer satisfaction and one of the most trusted utilities in the UK, according to the Institute of Customer Service. 'Scotland's bathing waters have also recently achieved new quality records with 87% rated 'good' or better according to the independent regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The UK Government's Independent Water Commission also recently noted 'Scotland has a greater number of water bodies achieving 'good' status compared to England and Wales''. Ms Lennon's letter warns the First Minister that the public are at risk of losing trust in the water industry following a spending scandal at regulator Water Industry Commission for Scotland (Wics). The regulator spent £77,000 on a Harvard Business School course for a senior executive, as well as a number of meals and gift cards for staff which exceeded gift value limits. Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin admitted "shortcomings" in how the government handled the spending saga. Ms Martin said: "Following the recent week long strike, I wanted to ensure a positive way forward which fell within the spirit of the Government's public sector pay policy; was affordable to Scottish Water's employees and minimised the impact on customers. "The Scottish Government has been assured that Scottish Water's pay negotiations with the Unions was transparent and in line with fair work principles and aligned with the appropriate standards for a public corporation. "There are no plans to privatise Scottish Water. Scottish Water is performing extremely well as a publicly owned corporation, matching the levels of service provided by companies in England and Wales whilst ensuring that households in Scotland pay less than in the rest of the UK. "All profits go back into improving the service, never to shareholders and that is the way it will stay under this government."

Space Scotland names new CEO to steer thriving space sector
Space Scotland names new CEO to steer thriving space sector

The National

time3 hours ago

  • The National

Space Scotland names new CEO to steer thriving space sector

Space Scotland has appointed Dr Natasha Nicholson as its new chief executive officer as she aims to use her scientific expertise to help guide the country's rapidly growing sector into a key international player. Space Scotland, a not-for-profit company, was founded in 2021 and supports Scotland's space industry, academia, and government representatives in a bid to further develop the country's space sector. Dr Nicholson's appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Scotland's space ambitions, with Europe's first-ever commercial launch into orbit expected to take place from Shetland in the months ahead. READ MORE: History made as Scottish rocket firm hits 'major milestone' 'There's so much potential, so much existing, fantastic work being done here in Scotland and so much potential to take it further as well,' Dr Nicholson told The National. With a surge in commercial activity across research, manufacturing, and satellite data analysis, Scotland now hosts more than 180 space organisations and leads Europe in the manufacture of small satellites, with firms like Spire Global, AAC Clyde Space, and Alba Orbital all operating from Glasgow alone. Dr Nicholson (below) said her vision for the future includes continuing to support the 'amazing satellite manufacturing' that Scottish firms are currently producing and wants to further the 'attractiveness' Scotland offers to international firms to invest in the country. (Image: Space Scotland) She added that Scotland's space sector has already made an amazing contribution for 'a small European country' and insisted that Scotland has 'strengths in so many other areas beyond space as well,' as she lists advanced manufacturing, AI, and robotics as core strengths for the country. Dr Nicholson also praised Scotland's space community for its collaborative approach with its industry working in partnership with many of its universities and colleges, along with Scottish Enterprise and the UK Space Agency. 'It's been a very collaborative approach to things, and it would be a real shame not to have that approach because there are so many fantastic organisations and great strengths here in Scotland, and that pooling our resources is always going to give us better results,' Dr Nicholson said. She added: 'There's a lot to be done and I think Scotland can really be at the forefront of some of the new emerging sectors, sort of subspace sectors as well, like in space manufacturing.' Dr Nicholson, who is returning to Space Scotland after leaving to run her own firm for a while, said she had 'really fond memories' of the organisation and of the Scottish space community. Space Scotland chair and board director Peter Young welcomed Dr Nicholson's appointment as he said: 'Scotland's space industry offers major opportunities across sustainability, launch, data and advanced manufacturing, while also enabling innovation in sectors like life sciences, AI and fintech. 'Natasha is the right person to help us harness that potential. Her scientific knowledge, delivery focus, and strong network made her an outstanding choice.' Young added there's a huge job to be done in promoting Scotland's thriving space sector as he said people are quick to jump to the idea of something like Elon Musk taking people to Mars or something else 'fanatical' when there are a lot of real-world applications which benefit immensely from the sector growing. 'Actually, literally, it's more down to earth than that in terms of what this space industry is and what it can bring,' he said. 'It can add value to daily life stuff in terms of what's happening here in Scotland.' Young (below) said that, while there are plans for Scotland to have its first commercial take off in the near future, 'it's not all about missions to Mars or asteroids'. (Image: Space Scotland) He said: 'There's something much more valuable and concrete in terms of what space can deliver.' When Dr Nicholson was last with Space Scotland, she helped establish a pilot where students from universities and colleges worked with the space industry to get real-life experience and said she hopes to introduce more similar initiatives to get Scots involved. The initiative was designed to be more practical and transitional for people who had either just come out of university or had graduated with a more general engineering background, so they could learn more specifics around skills for the likes of satellite manufacturing and other space sectors. With a PhD in astrobiology, Dr Nicholson has held roles including Cross-Cluster Liaison Manager for the Science and Technology Facilities Council at Harwell Campus, Chief Scientific Officer for the Arctic research station, and CEO for a space-related research and development business. She will now lead the next phase of development for Space Scotland, bringing focus to the delivery of the national strategy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store