Seniors named UK’s best fish and chip shop for 2012

17 January 2012

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. Hanburys 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 self-betterment 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.

Full list of winners:

Independent Takeaway of the Year Award

FIRST:              North West: Seniors, Thornton, Lancashire

SECOND:         South West: Hanbury's, Babbacombe

THIRD:            North East: Quayside, Whitby, North Yorkshire

Runners up: 

• Scotland: The Bay, Stonehaven
  Wales: Crispy Cod, Mid Glamorga
• Northern Ireland: Pit Stop, Kilkeel
• Midlands: The Big Fish, Stratford Upon Avon
• Eastern: Linfords, Market Deeping
• London & South East: Seafare, Guildford
• Central & South: Wigmore Fish & Chips, Luton

 

The Good Catch Award

Winner:          Harbour Lights, Falmouth, Cornwall

Runners up:   

• The Bay, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
• Frankie's Fish & Chips, Brae, Shetland  

 

Best Newcomer Award

Winner:          Chamberlains Quality Fish and Chips, Oldbury, Birmingham

Runners up:   

• Fryday's Fish and Chip Emporium, Old St Mellons, Cardiff
• Fylde Fish Bar, Marshside, Southport

 

Young Fish Frier of the Year Award

Winner:          Zohaid Hussain, Zero Plus Fish Bar, Cardiff, Wales

Runners up:   

• Sean Lloyd, Richardson's Fish Bar, Fleetwood, Lancashire
• Cori Standing, Fish and Chips at 149, Bridlington, East Yorkshire
• Caryn Johnson, Frankie's Fish and Chips, Brae, Shetland
•  Dean Chappelhow, Angel Lane Chippie, Penrith, Cumbria

 

Independent Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year Award

Winner:          McDermott's Fish & Chips, Croydon, Surrey

Runners up:   

• Hanbury's, Babbacombe, Devon
• Quayside, Whitby, North Yorkshire
• Rockfish, Dartmouth, Devon
• Seniors @ Marsh Mill, Thornton, Lancashire
• Trenchers Restaurant, Whitby, North Yorkshire

 

Staff Training and Development Award

Winner:          Royal Fisheries, Whitby, North Yorkshire

Runners up:   

• Fish and Chips at 149, Bridlington, East Yorkshire
• Frankie's Fish & Chips, Brae, Shetland
• Pieces Fish & Chips, Fleetwood, Lancashire
• Richardson's Fish Bar, Fleetwood, Lancashire 

 

Contribution to the Local Community Award

Winner:          The Boundary, Market Deeping, Lincolnshire

Runners up:   

• Taylor's, Woodley, Greater Manchester
• Alf's Fish and Chips, Weymouth, Dorset 

 

Best Multiple Fish and Chip Operator Award

Winner:          Fish'n'Chick'n Group, Hertfordshire

Runners up:   

• The Ashvale Group, Aberdeenshire
• The Frying Squad, Northern Ireland

 

Best Foodservice Outlet Serving Fish and Chip Award

Winner:          Old English Inns (Greene King plc), Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk

Runners up:   

• Marston's plc, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
• Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc, Bradford, West Yorkshire