A Whitley Bay fish and chip shop has landed an award after mystery diners judged it to be one of the best in the UK.
Fisherman's Bay, on the seafront in Whitley Bay, has been named as one of the best in The UK's Best Fish & Chip Restaurants 2022/23 awards, which judges chippies all around the country using mystery judges, who go into premises unannounced and secretly scrutinise the quality of the food, the cleanliness of the shop, staff knowledge, value for money, ease of ordering and social media presence.
The awards, in their 11th year, announces the 50 best takeaways and the 10 best restaurants. The Mary Lambert, in Hartlepool, was also listed in the top 10 restaurants.
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The accolade for Fisherman's Bay comes just weeks after it was shortlisted as one of ten finalists in the Takeaway of the Year category at 2023's National Fish & Chip Awards. The cafe and takeaway, on East Parade, was the North East's sole establishment to make final shortlist in the category, which was won by Whitehead's Fish and Chips, in Hornsea, East Yorkshire.
Reece Head, who organised the UK's Best Fish and Chip Restaurant competition, praised the winners, and said that restaurants like Fisherman's Bay represented the best in the industry.
“Once again we’ve had another year where it’s simply got harder to operate a fish and chip business, with rising energy, labour and ingredient costs taking a heavy toll," he said. "It’s not easy but operators are working harder and smarter, staying ahead of changing tastes and behaviours and adapting accordingly.
“Although the profits might not be in fish and chips like they have in years gone by, the passion certainly is. And our awards are a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment these operators put into running successful businesses. We’re seeing shops introduce vegan and gluten free options to appeal to a wider customer base, install self-serve kiosks and develop online ordering apps to make serving easier, invest in new frying equipment to produce better quality fish and chips, and embrace social media to engage with and reach more customers.
“The businesses that make up our 50 Best Fish & Chip Takeaways and 10 Best Fish & Chip Restaurants represent the best in the industry. They are pushing forwards while not losing sight of what makes the chippy so engrained in British culture - high quality, value for money food with great customer service and inviting surroundings.”
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