Pride of plaice – Bridlington boasts best chippy in Britain

VISITORS to Bridlington last week will have wondered why there were long queues stretching past the town’s post office.

People were queuing for up to an hour-and-a-half to sample some of the best fish and chips in the country.

Fish and Chips 149 has just won the 23rd annual National Fish & Chip Awards 2011, organised by Seafish, the authority on seafood.

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Matthew Silk and Tracy Poskitt beat off competition from more than 3,000 fish and chips shops in the UK and were presented with the prize by top food critic Jay Rayner, at a ceremony held at London’s Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel.

Tracy said: “To take home the highest accolade in the fish and chips industry is a dream come true. We’ve been working for many years to reach these heights and owe this award to our dedicated team and loyal customers whose support has made this possible.

“Fish and chips have been a British institution for 150 years and we are ecstatic to be taking our place in the proud history of this national dish.”

Fish and Chips at 149, set up by experienced award-winning fish friers with more than 46 years in the business, has come up with a winning formula for chippy fans in the area. The duo opened 149 in 2008 after completely refurbishing the premises. Making full use of new technology, the shop promotes weekly deals and updates fans on its Facebook page. Fish and Chips at 149 holds a five-star quality rating from Seafish.

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Co-owner Matthew Silks, who opened his first fish and chip shop in Scarborough, says it was not just the quality of the fish and chips which set them apart.

“We believe in training our staff to the highest quality so that it doesn’t matter if we are in the shop or not. You should get the same high standard if you are calling on a Tuesday lunchtime or a Friday tea-time.

“We also make sure that our fish is from sustainable sources and is long-line caught in Norway and Iceland rather than trawled.”

Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall has been highlighting the plight of the fishing industry in his Fish Fight. Matthew is hopeful for the future of the British fishing industry as stocks in the North Sea improve.

And winning the award has already been good for business,

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“On Friday, we saw trade increase by 70 per cent, and on Saturday, it doubled. People were queuing right round the block. We are now in the process of buying more fryers to keep up with demand. It has been amazing.”

Andy Gray, Customer Development Manager for Seafish, commented: “Fish and Chips at 149’s success is testament to the shop’s unwavering quality and hard work. They have an amazing team, with a very strong focus on staff training and development, and are very deserving winners.”

Fish and Chips 149, 149 Marton Rd, Bridlington. 01262 678378. www.fishandchipsat149.co.uk

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