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Seniors in Thornton, Lancashire, has been named the best British
fish and chip shop after battering its rivals in the National Fish
and Chip Awards 2012 on Tuesday 17 January 2012.
The shop, run by brothers Alastair and Dominic Horabin, was
announced as Independent Takeaway Fish & Chip Shop of the Year
2012 by celebrity chef Richard Corrigan at a glittering awards
ceremony in London's Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel.
It's a break out year for the north west chippy, which was also a
finalist in the Independent Restaurant of the Year and Good Catch categories.
With Alastair's wife, Sally, due to give birth later in the week,
January 2012 will be a month to remember for the Horabin family.
Ten of the UK's best fish and chip shops fought hard for the top
place, with expert judges deliberating well into the night on Monday.
Hanbury's in Babbacombe, Devon, earned second place, while Quayside
in Whitby came third.
Alastair said: "To be named the best fish and chip shop in
Britain is an honour beyond our wildest dreams. We were delighted to
come third last year and spent the past 12 months looking at the ways
we can improve our business and add further value to the experience
of staff and customers in the shop with this being our ultimate goal.
"We've had the same management with us since we built the
shop from a car park in 2006 and our success is thanks to their hard
work, passion and dedication. I'm overjoyed for them all and I'm
proud to be their boss."
The final 10 places were hard earned after an unannounced visit
from industry judges. Shops were assessed on a wide variety of
judging criteria including; product quality, customer service, food
preparation procedures, hygiene, innovation, staff training and
development, promotional activity and approaches to sustainable sourcing.
Organised by Seafish, the authority on seafood, the Independent
Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award recognises the wealth
of quality, value and choice offered by the nation's much loved
independent fish and chip shops. The title has in the past resulted
in a sales increase of up to 100 per cent for the winning shop.
Awards presenter and chef-proprieter, Richard Corrigan, said:
"Fish and Chips is an iconic meal, part of British culture. Its
integrity is preserved by many of the nominees today as it is in
Bentley's where it's served every day.
"Combining heritage with innovation, skill with approach,
attention to detail with great produce, Seniors well deserve their
title of the UK's best fish and chip takeaway. A brilliant execution."
Nikki Hawkins, foodservice and events manager at Seafish, said:
"This competition has undoubtedly been our fiercest yet and we
congratulate Seniors for their stellar effort in achieving the number
one spot.
"The awards have recognised the best of the UK's fish and
chip shops for the past 24 years with 2012's high standard of entries
testament to the industry's commitment to continued improvement and sustainability."
With over 250 million fish and chip meals sold each year from over
10,500 shops across the UK, fish and chips remains the nation's
favourite takeaway. Devotees can tuck into their fish and chips
knowing that they contain 36 per cent less calories than a chicken
korma and pilau rice, and 42 per cent less fat than a doner kebab
with pita and salad. Recent studies also showed that fish and chips
had the lowest salt content of all the takeaways tested.
o The 10 finalists in the Independent Takeaway of the Year Award were:
Scotland: The Bay, Stonehaven
Wales: Crispy Cod, Mid Glamorgan
Northern Ireland: Pit Stop, Kilkeel
North East: Quayside, Whitby, North Yorkshire
North West: Seniors, Thornton, Lancashire
Midlands: The Big Fish, Stratford Upon Avon
Eastern: Linfords, Market Deeping
London & South East: Seafare, Guildford
Central & South: Wigmore Fish & Chips, Luton
South West: Hanbury's, Babbacombe |
