Latest news with #NationalFederationofFishFryers
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
I tried the UK's best fish and chips with secret batter ingredient and the right way to add salt and vinegar
A portion of cod and chips costs £9.90 - cheaper than the national average FRY-DAY I tried the UK's best fish and chips with secret batter ingredient and the right way to add salt and vinegar Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MUNCHING on a mouthful of cod, the fish is light and melts in my mouth, while the batter is crispy and surprisingly grease-free. I'm at Yarm Road Fish and Chips in Darlington, which was crowned the UK's best fish and chip shop this year by the National Federation of Fish Fryers (NFFF), to see what the secret behind the takeaway's success is. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Lucy Andrews checks out the UK's best fish and chip shop in Darlington 6 We love a chippy tea - but does the UK's best fish and chip shop live up to the hype? 6 The cod and chips came in a generous portion, writes The Sun's deputy consumer editor Lucy Andrews I ask owner Will Burrell what the special ingredient is that makes his fish so tasty as I take another bite. I'm shocked to discover it's beef dripping, which is what the fillets are fried in. It's National Fish and Chips day today (June 6), and thousands of us are expected to tuck into the British staple to celebrate. The classic combo remains one of the nation's favourite meals. Brits spend £2 billion on takeaway fish and chips every year, according to the NFFF. It's only 11:20 in the morning, and the first customers of the day are starting to walk through Yarm Road Fish and Chip's doors. The takeaway has been here for eight years, and is run by Will, 30, and his parents Julie, 56, and Graeme, 62. Between them, they have 27 years of experience in the business. Every week, the shop serves 1,200 customers and Friday is their busiest day, when they usually serve 600 hungry locals. Although their menu includes beef burgers, chicken burgers and even halloumi fries, it's the premium Icelandic cod and chips that customers crave, said Will. 'It's our most popular order, it flies out through the door.' Will said. 'Fish and chips is a comfort food and ingrained in British culture - it's here to stay.' Secret to success 6 Regular customer John Wood with shop owner Will Burrell 6 Scott Henderson visits the chippy at least once a week 6 Donna Hodgson loves the friendly staff and yummy fish Customers are piling into the shop for their lunch, including regular customer John Wood, 65, from Middelton St George. He's ordering his favourite meal, cod and chips, and visits the takeaway once a fortnight. 'I usually get a small portion, but sometimes I get a large if I'm feeling hungry - I don't let the missus know though. 'I'm a truck driver so I go to fish and chips around the country, and this is the best one. 'The chips are excellent, and the batter on the fish isn't soggy and doesn't taste of old oil, which is what you get sometimes at other places. 'The prices are decent, and the portions are a really good size.' A regular portion of fish and chips costs £9.90 at Yarm Road Fish and Chips, 48p less than the national average of £10.38, according to the Office for National Statistics. The shop is able to keep prices affordable for customers because portion sizes are closely monitored and fish is cooked to order, which helps to minimise food waste. 'We're not shoving in chips and we weigh portions of fish so we can make sure our margins are right,' Will says. However, it has had to hike prices of all of its menu items by around 10% since 2020, when the cost of ingredients, energy bills, and staff wages all began to rocket. Despite the cost pressures, Yarm Road Fish and Chips is thriving, but other shops have been less lucky. Some 1,500 shops have had to close their doors over the past 15 years according to NFFF. Regular customer Scott Henderson, 56, who is a gas engineer from Blaydon, has come in to pick up his regular order of four cod bites, a side of curry sauce, and a fizzy drink for £6.50 at least once a week. 'It's good value and the staff are great, I know all their names and which football teams they support because I've been coming here for six years,' he said. 'The chips are chunky and cooked perfectly because they're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the middle, and the fish is always fresh. "The curry sauce you get from other places can be a bit like green water, but it has a bit of texture and spice here.' Donna Hodgson, 63, works at a nearby sheltered housing scheme and is here to pick up 12 portions of fish and chips for hungry residents. 'The fish is hot, light and fresh, and the batter is gorgeous,' she said. 'The staff are also lovely." Customers go wild for the free batter scraps that are dished out with every portion. 'Our customers either get a bag of them or we sprinkle it over the fish and chips. It's a real regional tradition, if you don't give out scraps you wouldn't do very well." Will says the secret behind the shop's great tasting cod is that the fish is frozen on the boat to keep it fresh and preserve flavour. Once the fish arrives at the shop, it's cooked to order and fried in beef dripping. To get the best flavour out of your meal, Will advises adding vinegar before the salt. I followed his advice, and it made a real difference to my meal. The vinegar is less overpowering this way, and doesn't mask the salty flavour you want from a fish and chips tea. My only regret is that I haven't been using his trick sooner - and I'll be sure to do it every time now.
BBC News
06-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Stonehouse chippy apologises for prices as fish costs surge
A chip shop has apologised to customers for putting up prices after seeing the cost of fish surge by more than 60% in just three Nippy Chippy in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, is now charging £12.50 for a large cod and £10 for Brad Lee said customers had mostly been polite about the increase but added there had been "a few shocked faces".He said suppliers had blamed reduced fishing quotas in the North Sea for the rise in the wholesale price of fish, but the government explained this year's deal maintains sustainable stock levels. Fishing quotas are negotiated annually between the UK, EU and year there is a cap of 25,028 tonnes on cod, a drop of 20% compared to last is a limit of 112,400 tonnes of haddock - down 5% from 2024's catch Lee said attempts to find substitutes had not gone down well in the past."We've tried different types of white fish but we've not had that good feedback on them," he said."If you get cod, you know what you're getting, it's nice and tasty, it's fluffy, and then when you've got the batter over it it makes nice and flakey, but maybe it's something we look at in the future if it goes too high." 'A challenge' Andrew Crook from the National Federation of Fish Fryers explained the quotas are set by scientists who analyse the catch and agree a said the quota is then in place for 12 months, but the current one may last two years."They think then maybe the quota will increase and things will get a bit more normal," he said. "But it's certainly a challenge at the moment."Mr Lee has to face the public however: "We've had a few shocked faces when customers come in but once you explain what's actually happening people are understanding."Fish and chips is a Friday night treat mainly, it's still the number one eaten thing in the UK. There is a crazy amount that we eat as a nation." After this year's fishing quotas were agreed, Fisheries Minister Daniel Zeichner said: "This government will always stand up for the British fishing industry, which is the lifeblood of so many communities around our coastline."That's why I'm pleased to have secured a deal providing the UK fleet quota for stocks including cod and haddock worth up to £310m, while maintaining sustainable levels of stocks for the long-term health of our industry."
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Owners of beloved Stockport fish and chip shop 'extremely proud' as they win major award
A much-loved Stockport fish and chip shop has won a major award at a prestigious industry awards. The National Fish & Chip Awards took place at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London last night and saw awards handed out to the UK's best chip shops and takeaways. In a major coup for the North East, two businesses in County Durham were awarded the coveted Takeaway of the Year and Restaurant of the Year prizes. Other awards included Young Fish Frier of the Year, Newcomer, Supplier of the Year, and Outstanding achievement, amongst others. Organised by trade body the National Federation of Fish Fryers, The National Fish and Chip Awards are the most coveted in the world of fish and chips, and is now in its 37th year. READ MORE: Legendary Curry Mile restaurant confirms opening of city centre site READ MORE: The farm shop café with fewer than 10 tables and a cooked breakfast that'll leave you wanting more Closer to home Taylors, in Woodley, took home the award for Training and Development. The celebrated Stockport chippy revealed last November that it had made it through to the final 20 in this year's National Fish and Chip Awards 2025. Owner Anne Wallace previously told the M.E.N.: "When I look at who we're up against across the UK it's incredible in terms of the quality. I just feel very honoured." Taylors, located on Woodley precinct in Stockport, is a firm favourite with locals and has been described by regulars as 'excellent' in reviews shared online. It was founded in 1966 in Hattersley before moving to its current home in the mid-1980s. Sharing the news on Facebook after the win, the team at Taylors wrote: "Ladies & have a winner! "Extremely proud of the whole team and the continued support from our amazing customers. Putting Stockport on the map." Hundreds of customers and fans of the Stockport fish and chip shop commented on the post, with many saying the news was 'brilliant', and the the award was 'well deserved'. One wrote: "Well done, what a great team…what great fish and chips…and fabulous community spirit." Another added: "Congratulations!! Super proud that a local Woodley business has won… we can vouch for the chips." And a third added: "Brilliant well done to all of you . Each and everyone of you deserve this recognition." The 2025 edition isn't the team's first time at the National Fish and Chip Awards though, as last year, manager Jamie Toland, who started working at the chippy as a 14-year-old, was crowned Employee of the Year at the 2024 ceremony. Judging of the final 20 businesses is a rigorous process, with the number being whittled down to a final 10 before the awards ceremony. A number of attributes are taken into account by an expert judging panel including sustainability, marketing, staff training, health and safety and hygiene. Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, commented: 'The bar for the National Fish & Chip Awards is set higher each year across the criteria the competitors are evaluated against, and our new titleholders have put everything into elevating their menus, sharpening their skills and developing their expertise. 'The quick-service sector is constantly changing but what remains is that customers expect a high-quality product that tastes like heaven, that sustainability is carefully considered throughout the experience and the service is on-point. "Each winner hits the mark on all these fronts and their hard work is achieving national attention. "On behalf of the NFFF, I'd like to say a big 'congratulations' and 'thank you' to these businesses for being shining examples of greatness in the fish and chip industry.' Takeaway of the Year 1st: Yarm Road Fish and Chips - Darlington, County Durham 2nd: The Fish Works - Largs, Scotland 3rd: Kellaway's Fish and Chips – Truro, Cornwall Restaurant of the Year 1st: Bells Fish & Chips (Framwellgate Moor) - Durham, County Durham 2nd: Malt and Anchor – Cirencester, Gloucestershire 3rd: Trenchers Spanish City - Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear Field to Frier Redcloak Fish Bar – Stonehaven, Scotland Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Glen Morrison from Garioch Fish Bar – Inverurie, Scotland Newcomer of the Year Mackerel Sky- Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire Employee of the Year Georgia Lye from Seafare Guildford, Surrey Mobile Operator of the Year Country Fried – Blackburn, Lancashire Environment and Sustainable Business Finney's Benllech – Anglesey, Wales Training and Development Taylors – Stockport, Greater Manchester Digital Marketing Eric's Fish and Chips – Thornham, Norfolk Quality Accreditation Champion The Scrap Box – York, Yorkshire Community Engagement Brockley's Rock – Brockley, London International Fish and Chip Operator Fez & Cip - Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam Supplier of the Year Dennis Crooks Fish Merchants Outstanding Achievement Paul Williams - KFE Ltd
