The Bay in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, was last night crowned the best British fish and chip shop in the 25th National Fish and Chip Awards 2013.
You can do your own joke about them battering their rivals or filleting the opposition.
The shop, run by Calum Richardson (pictured on the right) and his wife Lindsay Richardson, was announced as Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year 2013 by comedian and awards host Rory Bremner at a glittering evening ceremony at London’s Lancaster London Hotel.
Champion Scottish chippies
Scotland has a fantastic track record at the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Awards. The last time a Scottish chippie won, it was the Atlantic Fast Food in Coatbridge in 2009/10. Previous Scottish winners include the Townhead Cafe in Biggar; the Anstruther Fish Bar; Zanre’s in Peterhead; The Bervie Chipper in Inverbervie and The Ashvale Fish Restaurant in Aberdeen.
This year, ten of the UK’s best fish and chip shops fought hard for the top place, enduring an arduous judging process over the past few months, as well as presenting to a panel of industry judges in London in a Dragon’s Den style pitch. Simpsons Fish & Chips in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire earned second place, while Hanbury’s in Babbacombe, Devon came third.
Two awards
The Bay, not content with winning the top award of the evening, also bagged The Good Catch Award, having shown great initiative in improving the environmentally responsible practices of their business and for their awareness-raising efforts regarding the importance of sustainably-sourced seafood.
Calum Richardson, owner of The Bay said: ‘To be named the best fish and chip shop in the UK is a massive honour and a dream come true.
‘Over the last few years we have put so much effort into our business and take pride in what we produce and the service we give our customers.
‘This is without doubt one of our biggest achievements to date and is a great opportunity for the business to grow. It is not without the hard work from all the staff, not to mention the support and loyalty shown by our customers and suppliers which has helped us win this award.
‘To say we are delighted is an understatement and we can’t wait to take both awards back to take pride of place in our shop.’