QUALITY Redditch fish and chip shops The Golden Carp and Winyates Chippy have been named in the top six in the Midland as part of the 2019 National Fish & Chip Awards, organised by Seafish.
It’s the third time in succession that the two chippies, both owned by local man Theo Elinas, have been shortlist for the top award.
“We are absolutely ecstatic,” said Theo, who led the Golden Carp to within a batter’s width of the top national prize last year.
“It’s hard work, but it’s a team effort, and none of this could be achieved without everyone working together.”
The two Redditch chip shops will now be tested by a ‘mystery shopper’ who will visit not once but twice to make sure the quality and consistency of the fish and chips is maintained.
“We don’t know when he or she will arrive, it could be tomorrow it could be next month,” said Theo.
“Then they’ll make an in-depth analysis of how we received the food, how it is stored and prepared and how it served, our approach to the customer.
“We recently had the quality award people in and they were here from 10am to 2pm checking everything, so it’s pretty demanding.”
The Midlands region covered the West Midlands conurbation, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Warwickshire.
The final six shortlisted are:
Fiddlers Elbow Fish & Chips, Leintwardine, Herefordshire www.fiddlerselbowchippy.co.uk
Golden Carp Chippy, Redditch, Worcestershire www.golden-winyates-chippy.co.uk
Merchants, Stourbridge, West Midlands www.merchantsfishandchips.com
Merchants, Bewdley, Worcestershire www.merchantsfishandchips.com
Oldswinford Fish and Chips, Stourbridge, West Midlands http://oldswinfordfishandchips.co.uk
Winyates Chippy, Redditch, Worcestershire www.golden-winyates-chippy.co.uk
Marcus Coleman, chief executive at Seafish, said: “This award category showcases the leading fish and chip takeaways across the land, the shops that we all love to buy our fish supper from.
“The calibre of finalists is extremely high and provides a true representation of the quality found within the fish and chip sector, perfectly summing up why British fish and chips are, and will always be, the best in the world.”
The winner of the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award will be announced at The National Fish & Chip Awards’ 31st anniversary ceremony in London on January 24, 2019.
For more information www.fishisthedish.co.uk/
