Help us find Britain's favourite frier - 18/11/2009

Seafish, the authority on seafood, has unveiled a new People’s Choice award category in the national Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition. Run exclusively with The Sun online and Suntalk, the Favourite Frier award will give customers the opportunity to vote for the staff in their local chippy.

Whether it’s for charity fundraising, overcoming an illness or defying the odds to keep on frying, fish and chip fans across the country are being urged to promote the unsung heroes of the trade and nominate their local fish frier at www.thesun.co.uk/suntalk

Winning friers will receive a plaque for display in their shop plus a VIP trip to London for themselves and three others, including dinner at celebrity chef Aldo Zilli’s acclaimed Zilli Fish restaurant and four seats at the coveted national finals of the Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition in January.

Nikki Hawkins, project manager for the competition, said: “This award lets the public nominate the unsung heroes of the fish and chip trade raise the profile of the people who create the nation’s favourite takeaway. The standard of fish and chip shops across the country continues to rise every year, which is something we celebrate with the Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition, and this new award will give the public their chance to say who they believe should be named as one of Britain’s favourite friers.”

With nearly 276 million meals sold each year from over 10,500 shops, fish and chips remains the nation’s favourite takeaway.  Devotees can also tuck into their fish and chips knowing 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 pitta and salad.  Recent studies also showed that fish and chips had the lowest salt content of all the takeaways tested.

To cast your vote, log onto www.thesun.co.uk/suntalk

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Notes to Editors
The Favourite Frier Award forms part of the Fish & Chip of the Year Competition.
The deadline for online votes is Friday 11th December 2009 and all nominated shops will receive a mystery visit from a Seafish judge to ensure they meet industry standards. The winning shop will be announced in January prior to the finals of the national Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition.

Press kits containing background information, celebrity fish and chip fans, fun and quirky stats and a roll of honour of the previous 21 winners of the Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition are available on request.

Seafish, the authority on seafood, was founded in 1981 by an act of parliament and supports the seafood industry for a sustainable, profitable future. Our services range from research and development, economic consulting, market research and training and accreditation through to account management and legislative advice for the seafood industry. www.seafish.org

Issued by
Ashley Reid / Alison Downs
3x1 Public Relations
0141 221 0707
areid@3x1/com / adowns@3x1.com