Latest news with #TheYorkPress
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'It is sort of a British institution' - York business shortlisted for award
A YORK fish and chip shop owner whose chippy had a second award nomination from the same voters in as many years said this 'British institution' showed no signs of dying out. Bish 'n' Chips has been shortlisted by readers of The York Press as one of their top ten chippies in one of the title's most popular competitions. Readers of the newspaper have the chance to select their overall favourite by posting off a voting slip that features on a page every day until June 14. Recommended reading: Press readers list York's top ten chippies as finalists in competition Main road through York suburb set to close for maintenance works Some of the best cycling routes in York to consider on World Bicycle Day Tom Gibbons has been at the Sim Balk Lane chippy in Bishopthorpe for five and a half years but said the village takeaway has been there for decades. He said one of his regular customers now in their 60s told him she used to work at the fish and chip shop. Tom said: 'It's great to be nominated again and humbling, especially with the times that we're living with. 'It's nice that the customers still come down for their weekly fish and chips.' The business owner said they like to just keep things simple, there's nothing fancy. He said: 'It's sustainably caught fish and chips, the potatoes come from a farm near Goole and everything is locally sourced. 'We're as busy as ever locally and we cater for the three campsites nearby too.' Tom explained how his potatoes are 'rumbled' – going into a rumbler which rubs them all against each other so the skins come away. He said a recent arrival at home demonstrated to him the teamwork from the staff at Bish 'n' Chips. Tom said: 'I am there less often than previously since the birth of our first child Stella, eight months ago. 'This is a job that can begin with preparation on site at 7.30am and you could end up back home at 9pm some days, so I'm not there as much as I would be normally. 'It's nice to know the team are doing a great job and I would like to say the nomination is down to them. 'I texted Ashley – one of the team – when I heard about the news and said well done to all of the guys. 'He hasn't been here that long but has started to get to know the orders, just like the rest of us.' Asked what the secret of the survival of the fish and chip shop over the decades, Tom said: 'It is sort of a British institution – I can't ever see it dying. 'The comments I get about Bish 'n' Chips prove that the chippy has stood the test of time. 'Yes, coming through you get more choice of cuisine for your meals and people lamenting the prices, but when you break down an order, it's the smallest list of ingredients and everything is cooked to order.'
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Healthy competition' among children part of success for park shortlisted for award
'HEALTHY competition' is a part of families returning to a York fitness and adventure park shortlisted for an award. Agility has been placed into the top ten of indoor family entertainment venues in the city, as voted for by readers of The York Press. Readers can vote for their favourite from the list by picking up a copy of The Press newspaper until Saturday April 19 and sending in a voting slip. Acivity on the main floor at Agility (Image: Agility) The winner is set to be announced in the week commencing April 28. Sam Willis, duty manager at the venue in Millfield Lane, said: 'We've been open since 2019. 'We employ 10 to 12 people on a day-to-day basis and when you add up our seasonal staff, we grow to a team of around 30. 'A lot of the seasonal staff we employ who live in York are coming back from university. 'We rely on them and they just fit right in, they've done the role before, and they come back because they really enjoy it.' Monkey bars are part of the action at Agility (Image: Agility) Sam said Agility is a busy place and coaches on the floor of the facility - especially the coaches who are also studying sports-related courses – get the most they can out of the customer interaction. Sam said: 'We've got two big ninja warrior courses, with obstacles, rope swings, monkey bars and climbing walls. 'We run sessions for families, we do 60-minute sessions. 'We have a mini-soft play area in the café as well for toddlers, so we cover all areas, including a baby area and the main course is aimed at children aged for and over. "There are two sides to it really, and we do other things like kids classes, some in the evening, Ninja classes with our coaches – similar to how you might take a swimming lesion – small groups doing training – almost like parkour." Feedback from the public tells Sam and his team that 'Agility is varied, there's a lot of stuff for all experiences and abilities.' He said: 'It's great for families, to burn off kids' energy, they can stay active, many of them come week in week out. 'Both sides of our course are designed for racing – you can race one on one, we also have monthly time trials by age category, the coaches that are on the park will time them for the time trial and their name goes up onto a whiteboard, they get prizes and there's some healthy competition and some of the kids come back and ask about beating their best time.' 'The coaches are on the park – just like swimming pools have lifeguards - and there are always two coaches on hand to help all the children, giving them tips and tricks to best pass over or through each obstacle. 'That interaction, those pointers, and the guidance, I think people really like.' Sam said it was 'a massive honour' to receive the shortlisting from readers of The Press and said getting the recognition was 'a big pat on the back for all of the team.'
