Chippy Chat & Fast Food by Chippy Chat Magazine

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Excellent Chippy! An institution in its own right, Ellen’s Fish and Chip shop in Keady has changed a lot since first opening up its doors back on June 25 of 1986.

or at first, the original chippy was a short distance away from current location on Market Street – four doors down to be exact – and was run by the current proprietor, Ellen Brady’s brother Ted. For many years, it was known as Superfry. A family run business for almost of 40-years, it was in 1998 that the aforementioned Ellen would take over the reins, and it has gone from strength to strength since. Despite the strange state we find the world in, you can find some comfort in the humble chip and it would be hard to come across a better place to find that Ellen’s. During the pandemic, the business has not been one to rest on its laurels and has been working hard in order to provide for the community in their time of need. On Good Friday, back in April 2020, as we were settling into the first lockdown, Ellen’s gave away free food to their loyal customers and raised £1,300 for the NHS frontline staff in the process. With no fresh fish on offer – a staple of the holy day – the popular takeaway offered up chips and onion rings to its customers – completely free of charge. They were offered up until they ran out, with donations to the cause accepted instead. It went down a storm! Then again in December, Ellen’s answered the call once more and this time with donations from the local community they provided 170 Christmas dinners for the parish’s senior citizens. Ellen commented: “I would like to thank my loyal customers from Keady and surrounding areas for their continued support over the years and especially this past year which has been so hard for everyone”. How did you help your community during the pandemic? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

A National Day of Celebration!

The Year March-es On!

ational Fish & Chip Day

Well already approaching the managed to ruffle many

end of the first quarter of Held 2018! a feather this year. Hopefully it will be a busy one for on Friday 4th June it was great

Austen Dack Publishing Editor

shops suppliers asjoining we approach to see and so many shops in, Mother’s day and Easter too. as we head to a more normal life Congratulations to all at Friars by after the pandemic. Organised Pride. Once again, they have NEODA, the day delivered massive delivered for a fantastic trade exposure brand fish andshow chips with evenwhen more we visitors at a time needititseemed most, than done ever. NEODA and to all who well A busy offering this month for your took part. delights. First we review This month weoff feature somemany great batter manufacturers to help you of our oil and fat suppliers giving choose of the most important you the one chance to see what many aspects of are ourusing greatand dish.why. We Also, top shops

also have a fish and chip shop in we have our great sausage Auckland who open at 6am,feature to too! customers fish fresh from the serve Our front-page partner for March Pacific Ocean. We also bring you is PukkaofPies. They supply of news a chip shop’s usemillions of a new pies to fish and chip shops across super power Batterman! theusual UK and they helping us As email meare austen@ celebrate National Pie Week. chippychat.co.uk, with any If youand/or would if like towould advertise, news you like to get involved tell us some advertise withorus. news please email me austen@ chippychat.co.uk – thanks for your Austen Dack

Email me at the issue. support enjoy austen@chippychat.co.uk Austen Our website is www.chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat Ltd Oak Lane Littleport Ely Cambridgeshire CB6 1RS

Chippy Chat Ltd

Oak Lane www.chippy-chat.co.uk Littleport Elyinfo@chippychat.co.uk Cambridgeshire Twitter CB6 1RS @Chippychat

Facebook Chippy-Chat www.chippy-chat.co.uk TEL 01353 865 966 info@chippychat.co.uk FAX Twitter 01353 863 444 @Chippychat Managing Director Facebook Chippy-Chat John Boutwood TEL 01353 865 966 Publisher FAX 01353 863 444 Oliver Boutwood oliver@chippychat.co.uk Publishing Editor Managing Director Austen Dack John Boutwood austen@chippychat.co.uk 07863123929 Publisher Oliver Boutwood Subscriptions and Marketing Executive oliver@chippychat.co.uk Amanda Waterfield amanda@chippychat.co.uk Publishing Editor 01353 865 966 Austen Dack austen@chippychat.co.uk Design/Editorial 07863123929 Stuart Catterson stuart@cc-ff.com Design/Editorial

Stuart Catterson Accounts stuart@cc-ff.com Claire Boutwood-Potter accounts@chippychat.co.uk Accounts Claire Boutwood-Potter Printed in the UK by accounts@chippychat.co.uk The Magazine Printing Company Advertising Sales and Promotions Advertising Sales and Promotions austen@chippychat.co.uk austen@chippychat.co.uk For PR and Editorial For PR and Editorial editorial@chippychat.co.uk editorial@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021 Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • March 2018

3 3

It’s Fry Day i’m in Love A brand new fish and chip shop, ran by the owner of Meggies, has opened in the West Marsh.

lex Koliandris, owner of the fish and chip shop on Cleethorpes’ marketplace, has taken over the empty unit on Corporation Road after several of his customers mentioned it to him.

WE HAVE SUPPLIED INBUILT SUPERPAD SYSTEMS (TRIPLE FILTRATION) FOR FACTORY FITTING TO: MARTYN EDWARDS FRANK FORD KIREMKO (KFE) HENRY NUTTALL SCOTRANGE EDEN RANGE

WE HAVE ALSO RETRO-FITTED BASKET FILTRATION AND SUPER PAD UNITS TO SHOP INSTALLED RANGES. PLEASE CALL FOR ADVICE ON YOUR RANGE

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

The shop, previously The Fisherman’s Daughter, has had several owners over the past few years, with little success. Alex is hoping for more success, rebranding the store as Fry Days, by making Meggies fish and chips more accessible for people in Grimsby. He said: “A lot of people who visit Meggies said about this shop and how the area desperately needs a chippy, so we decided to take it over. “I think now we are open and people hear about us, we will do well, as well as people who like Meggies and want to visit us for fish and chips instead of travelling to Cleethorpes. “A few of our customers now know about the new shop and are excited, saying they live on the West Marsh and are pleased to see us open. “We are competitively priced, including a special which gives you fish, chips, and a sauce or mushy peas for £3.50.” Alex has been working on the takeover since November, and has been getting the shop ready to reopen to the public. He said: “We started talking with the landlord in November, and it has taken us a while to sort things out. It has been difficult getting some things sorted because of the Covid situation, things take a lot longer than usual, such as getting work done. “But now the store is almost ready and we are all excited to get going. “It’s something that is needed in the area. When it was Rex Fisheries, it was very successful, but in recent years it has been mismanaged and run down, really. “Like Meggies, all of our fish comes fresh from Grimsby Docks, as well as the potatoes and other ingredients being sourced locally. “I can’t wait to get going and bring a proper fish and chip shop back to the area.” Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Inside

June 2021

Diary Dates

8 10 12 14 16

The Deep Fried Mars Bar!

Business or pleasure, dates not to be missed

Croatian brothers in Glen Innes, Auckland

Gotham Chippy!

The FriLights!

Jaki’s Fish & Chip Shop call on Batterman.

You’re all that Batters to us! Goldensheaf batters delivers everytime

30 Years in the Making!

Babylon Fried by top friers

Getting back in the flow!

18 20 22 24

Genesis Biosciences calling on businesses to check their drains after lockdown

Note to Self! Memo’s, on Blighty Avenue in Woodside

Strange Times!

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic

A Nanny State! No kidding Llandudno goats are queuing at the chippy

Win £500 Cash Prize! Totally timeless British flavours – that’s Ben Shaws

BLAST OFFF!

The UK’s best pre-cut chips are now available online!

May Day!

Popular community chippy celebrates 100th birthday!

Glorious Sunshine! Sunshine Sells With Rio

You Gotta Roll With It! Bolton chippy’s battered chip butty

26 28 30 32 34

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Isle of Ely Produce and Chippy Chat open their doors to chip shop owners and managers

40 42

SupernorMill! National Fish & Chip Day 2021 in Haxby!

Es 30 tab Ye lish ar ed s

Frappina Iced Coffee Machines

The Day of Champions!

Kings Heritage Blend 30 - Middleton Foods

Wake up & smell the ice coffee!

36 38

Frying Range Engineers Servicing all makes of ranges, covering East Anglia, East Midlands & London/M25 Annual Range Servicing • Insurance Certificates Duct Steam Cleaning • Repairs • Modifications

• • • • •

Refurbished / Rebuilds / New Traditional & Dutch Makes Extraction Systems & Ductwork Shopfitting Design & Refurbishment Fire Damage, Repairs & Upgrades

For prompt, efficient service please call:

01553 772935

sales@klsonline.co.uk Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021 In association with

Frying Ranges

BE A PART

BIG OF SOMETHING

The National Dining Network recruits chippies to support ‘Eat Local’ drive. After a turbulent year, local businesses need as much help as they can get to make up for lost trade. The National Dining Network, powered by TLC Marketing – the world’s largest independent rewards agency – is spearheading a recruitment drive to create a network of over 3,000 local restaurants. The network will fulfil eat-in and takeaway promotions for some of the UK’s favourite brands – directing the public to ‘Eat Local’. A typical offer will be ‘£5 off’ when a customer reaches a spend threshold of £20 – although this may vary from promotion to promotion. In return, restaurants will be featured in high profile nationwide marketing campaigns linked to much loved brands and see increased bookings, welcome new customers and enjoy increased spend. Our aim is to encourage the public safely and confidently back into restaurants and believe this initiative will increase visibility for the trade as a whole and by offering a small discount individual, businesses will enjoy greater income.

If you have any questions or simply want more information please call TLC Partnerships on 020 7725 6005 or drop us an email at partner_enquiries@tlcmarketing.com 6

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

NATIONAL

DINING

NETWORK

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

NATIONAL

DINING

NETWORK

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

September 18th - October 3rd British Food Fortnight

Diary Dates

Why buy British? · Our aim is simple... to encourage people to discover the diverse and delicious food made in Britain

October 9th Isle of Ely Potato race October 9th – Isle of Ely Potato race – The World’s fastest potato race in Ely, Cambs – FREE CHIPS!

Business or pleasure, dates not to be missed...

e are looking on the bright side and starting to put some dates in our diary. If you have anything to add please email austen@chippychat.co.uk . All dates are subject to change due to the pandemic

July 5th - 11th Great British Pea Week Celebrate your mushy peas!

December 5th

Isle of Ely/Chippy Chat Open Day Back by demand the popular open day for chip shop owners

Chat py

ll 2 021

September 12th

Chi p

The Chippy Chat ‘Chip Barons’ Ball

Ch ristmas Ba

The Chippy Chat ‘Chip Barons’ Ball returns. Great reason to get together and finally have a party

Keep up to date with trade events by visiting www.chippychat.co.uk and clicking on events. If you’re organising an event and would like to send us details so that we might mention it here and/or on the Chippy Chat website email your details to - austen@chippychat.co.uk 8

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Gotham Chippy! Jaki’s Fish & Chip Shop in Muir of Ord has unveiled a new superhero – Batterman.

OST people can summon a vision of Batman and his famous bat signal beaming into the skies above Gotham City’s troubled rooftops. But now, a Muir of Ord chipper is drawing inspiration from the fictional superhero and his black-and-yellow call light by introducing... Batterman. Jaki Pickett, who owns Jaki Fish and Chip Shop on the village’s Seaforth Road, wants to use her Batman-style spotlight to alert ravenous customers from miles around to tasty treats and offers. The businesswoman has bought a Prolight Panorama IPB unit, capable of sending white and coloured light into the heavens. She is now seeking permission from Highland Council to operate the mobile advertising device – not unlike Gotham City police department’s famous distress signal – to reach locals. The application states that the spotlight’s “prisms overlap for spectacular aerial effects”, but Ms Pickett stressed it would only be used during opening hours. These run from 4pm to 9pm on Friday and Saturday, and for slightly shorter times on other days. Such is the strength of the light beams, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has had to be kept fully informed since trials in October. The light is fully mobile and will be placed in the shop’s car park while operating and taken safely indoors after

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

9pm. Ms Pickett said: “I’ve been speaking to the Civil Aviation Authority since May this year. It’s been well-planned and thought out. Ideally, I want to have different colours of beams of light for different deals and offers. If it’s orange, there might be a free sausage supper with every £10 spent, or if it’s lit blue it might be fish for a fiver. “People can step out of their back door and check it out and, hopefully, kids will love it and say ‘look mum, dad – the light’s blue or the light’s green tonight!’ “I’m hoping everyone in the local area will be able to see it. In the trial, I drove to Inverness and could see it coming across the Kessock Bridge. If you’re coming from Fortrose, Invergordon or Garve, you can see the beam in the sky.” The Batterman concept was dreamt up as a bit of fun to accompany the light show. Jaki’s is currently enjoying great feedback from a new local radio jingle, with Batterman comic and colouring books being stocked. A life-size cut-out of Batterman is also being made for outside the chip shop. In a nod to his fishy origins, the superhero has gills, a fin, webbed hands and flippered feet. She added: “As a business, we need to evolve and adapt. It’s been a sad year. I want everyone to enjoy a bit of a laugh, and we want the kids to get involved interact. “I don’t see why it won’t be approved. You do get negative people, but it is high enough in the sky, it is not going to run anybody off the road.” How are you promoting your shop? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

100% Natural British Beef Dripping for 100% Traditional Flavour From the modest potato chip to the finest fish fillet it’s all about what you fry it in. For the tastiest results go Superior, the most respected, refined and deodorised beef dripping in the business.

It’s naturally low in Tran’s fats, non-hydrogenated and delivers the high performance with the greatest economy enhancing the taste of your fried food.

Nortech Foods. New technologies behind traditional tastes. For your nearest stockist call 01302 390880 11

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

absolutely delighted at the uptake from the friers who have had the samples. We have been producing batters for quite some time and we have never seen such a positive response to a new product. We are proud to say that friers up and down the Country, using all types of batter, have seen that switching to Blend 30 is the smart choice for their business. We are trying to get round the Country as fast as possible to fulfil demonstrations that have been requested by shop owners who are looking to use our new product.”

Kings Heritage Blend 30 • A unique blend of flours to suit the modern fryer

30 Years in the Making! Kings Heritage Blend 30

iddleton’s are celebrating 30 years of producing and wanted to mark the occasion with the launch of a brand-new type of batter. Kings Heritage Blend 30 is a combination of different types of flour, contains no artificial colours or flavours and is a next generation product for the modern fryer. The batter is designed to mix easily, fry extra crispy but also hold for longer in the cabinet. The batter is a light golden colour and the response from the trials of the product have been outstanding. Sales Manager, Ryan Baker commented “Since launching this new batter, we have been

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

• Fries extra crispy with a light golden colour • Designed to sit longer in the holding cabinet • Ideal for take-away, restaurant and delivery • New product to celebrate our 30th year of batter production Middleton Foods are proud of their products but even more so of their industry leading sales team. With six knowledgeable and experienced Area Sales Managers covering the whole Country, they are always on hand for free product demonstrations, frying training and samples so contact Middleton’s to arrange your visit today. For your free sample please email sales@middletonfoods.com

For samples or information T: 01902 608122 Visit: www.middletonfoods.com

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Wake up and smell the ice coffee! Iced Coffee Machines

id you know that 46% of consumers seek out iced beverages in the UK? There is high demand for a great tasting iced coffee growing by the day. Retailers need to be offering iced coffee alongside the traditional hot brew to meet this increasing demand. That’s where our own-brand, great tasting iced coffee can help you! Tap in to this growing, trendy market today with an iced coffee machine from SnowShock. Summertime is here and there’s optimism in the air too. With lockdown hopefully behind us soon, Britain is gearing up for a great summer. We are all eager to get back to the things we took for granted, a drink in the pub, a day out in the country or a trip to the seaside. Since holidays abroad are uncertain, most families are looking to make the most of what we have here in the UK. The public are booking home trips & holidays in record numbers & fish & chips, slush drinks and ice drinks will be much sought after, and something that you need to be thinking about order volumes now. Snowshock have been in the slush

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

business since 2003 and we have never seen such a busy start to a new year. Business owners more than ever are gearing up now to take advantage of the Staycation trend and the fact that their customers are going to be around more this year, spending their money. It is time you too discovered SnowShock’s tasty and vibrant range of all things slush related, and our ice coffee machines. As the proud UK supplier of premium slush/ice products, we provide you with an excellent product and service that will help drive profits for your business. Our expert SnowShock staff are here to help you along the way and are happy to provide more information about the range of ice coffee & slush products we offer. Snowshock – COVERING THE WHOLE OF THE UK!

Contact Unit 2 Whitehouse Road industrial Estate Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 6LN T: 0330 053 6132 www.snowshock.com

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Hospitality sector getting back in the flow! Genesis Biosciences calling on businesses to check their drains after lockdown

ith hotels, restaurants and cafés closed to the public for months, many commercial kitchens have been left idle and unused and so too have the properties’ drainage systems. As venues begin to reopen, business owners will need to ensure their premises continue to meet all regulations and hygiene requirements which includes maintaining clear drains. For pubs, restaurants and all other businesses with commercial kitchens there are strict regulations in place for how waste products must be disposed of, in particular fats, oils and grease (FOG). This is to prevent them from reaching water systems and contributing to the increasing fatberg problem and well as blocked pipes, bad odours and potentially flooding. While grease traps are designed to stop FOG from entering the drainage system, regular maintenance to keep them operating efficiently and with minimal odours is essential. With kitchens dormant for some time, and grease traps left untouched, there is a chance fatty deposits from prelockdown may have caused blockages which inevitably will require chemical or mechanical treatment. Genesis Biosciences, which specialises in creating probiotic cleaning solutions, has developed a compact and effective system for easily maintaining drainage systems and grease traps. GD Ultra is a simple to use dispenser system which automatically distributes a daily dose of

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

powerful beneficial bacteria that work to break down FOG. The dispenser can easily be plumbed in to the pipe to feed the probiotics in to the system. One 310ml GD Ultra cartridge will last for three months so once installed, it eliminates the need for manual dosing. Dr. Emma Saunders, General Manager for Genesis Biosciences, said: “As the hospitality industry reopens, business owners will be ensuring compliance with all the additional health and safety regulations, but they mustn’t overlook pre-existing key business requirements such as their drainage systems. If left too late, blocked drains can cause immense interruption to businesses, possibly leading to closure and expensive treatments. “Genesis specialises in utilising application-specific beneficial bacteria, and the probiotics in GD Ultra have been specially selected for their ability to break down fatty deposits. “We supply a robust dispenser which is simple to install and delivers the same bacterial dose as the highest specification liquid products. The good bacteria are dispersed throughout drain system by normal water flows and it provides rapid and highly effective non-toxic elimination of bad odours. “Once installed, GD Ultra reduces the occurrence of fat and grease blockages and can ultimately reduce waste disposal costs for those in the hospitality industry.” To find out more about Genesis Biosciences’ grease traps and drain maintenance range, visit http://www. genesisbiosciences.co.uk/

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Note to Self! Memo’s, on Blighty Avenue in Woodside, offers all the usual takeaway favourites, from fish and chips and pizza to kebabs and burgers.

eorge and Ayben Sinclair opened to customers recently – and have already been receiving positive reviews from the locals.George said: “It had been closed for nearly a year due to bank closure. We were lucky enough to put in the highest bid to buy the property. It was previously a fish and chip shop, but we now also sell proper charcoal grilled kebabs, burgers pakora and more.” “After posting on Facebook we have had hundreds of delighted locals responding, saying that they were so happy to have a takeaway back in Woodside again, as there is no other takeaway in the area.” While Ayben used to work at her

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

brother’s takeaway in St Andrews, the new shop means the couple can work closer to home. George, who also runs Woodside Locksmiths, helps out at night. Opening a business during the coronavirus pandemic has also meant new jobs. George added: “The good news is we have taken on several staff who were out of work. “We employed some staff that used to work in the takeaway as we thought it would be good for the locals to see a familiar face. “The shop was in a poor state and we had to spend a lot of money bringing it back to its formal glory. “We are working very hard to keep up our high standards of hygiene and food quality.” The takeaway delivers around Glenrothes and as far as Falkland.

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Strange Times! ‘We ripped out the range and lockdown was announced’ BOSSES of an award-winning Kendal chippy have spoken of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has had on their business

anice and Martin Dickens, owners of Frydays, in New Road, Kendal said they were due to close for two weeks in March 2020 for a major refurb to keep up with the growing demand of their customers. But after starting the work the lockdown restrictions came into force meaning they were unable to continue. Whereas other businesses found they could offer takeaways, Frydays was left unable to trade. It was not until the restrictions were lifted they could complete the refit before they reopened in July.

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Janice said they had decided to refit the shop after seeing success with their click and collect and a home delivery service app. Following the launch of the app they bought a second-hand van and within three months had to upgrade it. “It took off straightaway, making us even more busy to the point where we were struggling to keep up with demand. The app really tipped us over, it just rocketed. Customers were having to wait too long; we realised the frying range couldn’t cope with the demand we had and we already needed a bigger one in order to double capacity,” explains Janice. They decided to bite the bullet and invest in a £100,000 state of the art range made in Holland, together with a further £58,000 spent on a refit of the shop. “We planned to close from March 23 for two weeks to have it all installed. We had ripped out the old range, then the very next day lockdown was announced.” It could not have been worse timing. “Of course, had we known, we would have kept the old range and carried on trading and serving our community, but that’s with the benefit of hindsight, she said. Like many youngsters, Janice and Martin Dickens worked in chippies when they were at school but they carried on to make a career out of cod and chips and run their own shop. “Our first shop was on the west coast Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

but we just played at it really,” admits Janice. “We were both in haulage before that, so after the shop we went back to that.” However, the idea of serving the perfect fish and chips niggled away at Janice. “Something was pulling me back, it felt like unfinished business,” she says. When Frydays, came up for sale in February 2014 they bought it and immediately set about transforming it, literally from top to bottom with a new roof and new flooring. The biggest investment was a new kitchen and, by April that year they were up and running. It went well but within eight months they were shut, a victim of Storm Desmond as two feet of water came flooding through the hilly town down towards the shop. “I’d never had a flooded property before, it was awful,” says Janice. “The new fridges and freezers we’d bought were ruined, tiles were popping off, the cupboard doors were all swollen. We had to take it all back to just four walls and start again. It was heartbreaking.” They were forced to close for the next six months. Fortunately, insurance paid for everything to be replaced and, happily, things improved as they got busier and busier. They went on to win their first national award in the Fry Top 50, a winning streak that has continued ever since and includes the National Fish & Chip Awards in which they have been placed in the top 20 of shops across the country. Now customers can order and pay at touch screens in the shop, and the uniformed team greet them behind a 23

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

slick white counter. With both Martin and Janice behind the range, the team up front comprises Katrina Hogg, Gemma Foster, Bradley Mares and Cordy Haines. “We are focused on providing the highest quality food in a professional way with excellent customer service,” says Janice. As well as traditional fish and chips with all the trimmings, they serve burgers, sausages including a foot-long Cumberland, battered black pudding and haggis, chicken and halloumi. The choice for “small frys” includes mozzarella bites and scampi. “It has been blood, sweat and tears but we are totally passionate about our product, our staff and our customers and it’s so good to be back,” adds Janice. “We’ve come back fighting – again.” Have you refitted recently? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

A Nanny State! No kidding Llandudno goats caught queuing at the chippy as they return to town

he Llandudno goats have been spotted back in the area again by residents who have caught them eating parts of people’s gardens, lingering outside the local chip shop and waiting for a bus. They have also been seen near Primark. The herd of wild goats were first spotted in the town in December last year, where people saw them running through the streets of Llandudno. The mountain goats, which normally spend their time on the Great Orme, have been running through the streets and nibbling flowers in people’s gardens. Llanduno resident Ceri Louise Jones said: “The goats have been in the town since the beginning of lockdown about a month or so ago, but they’ve been coming down a lot more frequently. They’re all around the town!” The herd of Kashmiri goats were a gift to Lord Mostyn from Queen Victoria and spend their time living on the heights of the Great Orme. The goats have even been spotted outside the local chip shop The West

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Shore Café and waiting for a bus in the town. Ceri Louise Jones who works in the Brigadoon Residential Care Home on West Shore next to a fish and chip shop said: “They were just looking around at us and eating our plants, they could probably smell the fish and chips that were cooking!” One resident also spotted the moment one of the goats went into the bus stop shelter on Trinity Avenue to get away from the rain. What unusual animals do you have visiting? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Win £500 Cash Prize for One Lucky Chippy! Totally timeless British flavours – that’s Ben Shaws.

en Shaws is celebrating 150 years in the fizzy business this year! From humble beginnings in Huddersfield back in 1871, Ben Shaws has seen many changes over the 150-year history but one thing has stood the test of time; the fantastic taste that you’ll never forget. The classic British flavours of Ben Shaws pair perfectly with the mouthwatering taste of Fish & Chips. Nothing beats digging into piping hot fish and chips, fresh out of the fryer and doused in salt and vinegar, amplified with the sound of a can cracking opening - a Ben Shaws Dandelion & Burdock. The nostalgic combination of British flavours transports anyone to a day at the seaside – which is why Fish & Chip Friday needs Ben Shaws. There are many things that divide the nation on Fish & Chips, just like; Curry sauce or Gravy? Tomato Ketchup or Brown Sauce? Cod or Haddock? Scraps or No Scraps? Or it might be Dandelion & Burdock or Bitter Shandy, but rest assured it is always Ben Shaws. Back in 1871, Ben Shaw went on a flavour discovery and served his pop in glass bottles that were delivered by horse and cart. Then in 1959, Ben Shaws was the first in Europe to put drinks into cans – a true pioneer of the soft drink industry. Whilst some flavours come and go – the classic British flavours of Dandelion & Burdock, Bitter Shandy, Cloudy Lemonade and Cream Soda remain the most delectable flavours to serve with your Fish & Chips. Now in 2021, Ben Shaws are encouraging their consumer audience through social channels to ‘Pimp Their Chips’ and serve their favourite flavour

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

with different suggestions that just make the humble chip that little bit better – a Dandelion & Burdock goes perfectly with Fish & Chips but a Bitter Shandy is ideal for chips & gravy. If you’re not already following Ben Shaws on social media – give them a follow and let them know what flavour you think goes best with your Fish & Chips! GIVEAWAY Over the next few months, Ben Shaws is giving away a £500 cash prize to one Fish & Chip shop that posts a picture of their Fish & Chips with a can of Ben Shaws on Instagram or Twitter. To be in with a chance of winning – post a picture on Instagram and tag @benshawsdrink or on Twitter tag @BenShaws_Drinks and use the hashtag #BenShawsChippyChat for both. This competition will run from 1st April 2021 to 31st July 2021 and winners will be contacted through Instagram and/or Twitter by the 6th August 2021. T&C’s Apply, see Ben Shaws website for details. Instagram - @benshawsdrinks Twitter - @benshaws_drinks Facebook - @benshawsdrinks

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

bles

r i e h t t a

CK O ST

N P U

! W O

b e st

s e l b Bub

s w a h S n e B d e e n s p i h C Fish &

In the fizz’ness for 150 years! 27

www.benshawsdrinks.com

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

T S A L B FFF! O The UK’s best pre-cut chips are now available online!

ylde Fresh & Fabulous are one of the UK’s most established potato producers, providing national coverage, supplying freshly peeled potatoes and chips under the FFF brand. We are BRC accredited and Red Tractor approved making us a reliable leading supplier to the fish and chip shop industry. At Fylde Fresh & Fabulous we pride ourselves on maintaining high standards across the entire potato process. The key success factor in producing quality potato and chip products starts with the growing of the raw material right here on the Fylde Fresh and Fabulous farm in the heart of the Fylde countryside. Using a combination of in-house growing and a number of dedicated potato growers, Fylde Fresh and Fabulous can always guarantee that the majority of raw material is home produced and processed. This method also ensures that every FFF chip ending up as an accompaniment to a fresh fish fillet at your local fish and chip shop can be fully traced back to the field along with its growing regime and history. After harvesting our produce, we store the potatoes in temperature-controlled environments to ensure they are as fresh as the moment they were plucked from the soil. Every fresh batch of Triple F Chips is frytested and quality-assessed before being distributed. You can always guarantee reliability and quality with our freshly cut

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Triple F Chips thanks to our high levels of compliance, and only supplying the best potato produce possible. Powered by potatoes! All of our potato peelings go into our very own anaerobic digester! This, balanced with whole crop silage and animal manure, produces sufficient gas to generate up to 1800KWe per hour of both thermal heat and electricity. All generated heat is used in the offices, the farm site and in the Fylde Fresh and Fabulous factories. The Future for FFF Fylde fresh and Fabulous have now made it even easier to order our chips. FFF chips are now available to buy online from our website fyldefreshandfabulous.com . Visit www.fyldefreshandfabulous.com

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

May Day! Popular community chippy celebrates 100th birthday

he owners of a Burslem chippy are celebrating this month as their eatery turns 100 years old! Popular May Street Chippy, on May Street, Burslem, has been a firm favourite the local community for the past century. A carving on one of the bricks outside the chippy reads ‘1920’. Over the years, the business has had several different owners, but Dave Llewyn and his wife Sue, from Kidsgrove, took over the chip shop a year ago. After being open for just a few months, the duo had to close their doors following the first national Covid-19 lockdown. Businessman Dave has COPD and had to shield to protect himself. But now the chippy is back to business as usual after a tough year - and they want to put their humble chippy on the map. “When we took over the shop, we had to do a lot of work,” explained Dave, “it was quite run down. “We weren’t open for long before the first lockdown, but we were doing well, especially with the football customers that we get. “But then we had to close when lockdown hit. I have COPD so I had to shield, and we didn’t open again until June. “It has been hard throughout the pandemic, especially when Vale stopped playing because we didn’t get the crowds that we used to get on a Tuesday and a Saturday. “But customers have been very

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

supportive, and locals are always popping in and they say they’re glad that we have taken over the shop and taken it back to how it used to be. “We’re really proud of how we have turned it around and we want to put May Street Chippy on the map.” Taking on the business was a big career change for Dave, whose previous jobs have included DJing, electroplating and selling hot tubs. “It’s totally new for us,” said Dave. “It’s a lot of hard work and we had no knowledge of the business when we started, but I wish I’d done it 30 years ago. “It’s really picking up now and we are so proud of it. We know our regulars by name and we know their orders.” Dave and Sue say they’re proud of the ‘fresh’ food that they offer - and they have adapted the business to keep people safe in light of the pandemic. “Our food is always fresh, and we always have different deals on so customers can get a bargain. “Our best sellers are always fish and chips and sausage and chips. “We want to keep our prices as low as possible, and we do what we can to entice people in. “We encourage orders over the phone now, whereas before we didn’t like doing that. But now it’s much safer and means that people don’t have to wait so long outside. What were your previous jobs? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Fabulous

Fish Roe Fritters A PROTEIN PACKED NUTRITIOUS MEAL

MAKE A DIFFERENCE. CHOOSE GUARANTEED SUSTAINABLE FISH.

Please contact your local distributor/ r/ supplier for further information. 31 Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021 Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Glorious Sunshine! Sunshine Sells With Rio

oft drink brand, Rio, is the refreshing and invigorating fruit drink that will instantly release your sunshine and transport you to an exotic island paradise. Taking advantage of its tropical flavours including real orange, guava, apricot, mango, and passion fruit juices blended with carbonated water, this sparkling drink will tantalize the taste buds while delivering a much-needed dose of vitamin C. Rio Tropical is available in 330ml cans and 500ml PET, as well as a 330ml sugar free Rio Tropical light. Created in the 1990’s, the drink has developed a cult following and fan base, and 2021 sees the brand embark on an exciting new chapter and campaign. The new “release your sunshine” campaign is aimed at those feel-good moments that break through the everyday and targets consumers that want to get out and live life to the fullest. Supported by an extensive sampling and social media campaign, as well as new-look POS both C&C and retail, 2021 promised to be an exciting year for the brand. The brand recently entered a partnership with Boost Drinks which has taken on full responsibility for sales, marketing and distribution of the Rio brand. As two privately owned challenger brands with strong aligned cultures, both brands have products that provide added value benefits to customers and are in the #1 and #3 largest growth brand categories within Soft Drinks. This partnership will achieve synergies in manufacturing and customer base, with the added benefit of reducing administration for customers. On top of that, there are significant environmental benefits and a reduced carbon footprint, due to logistical efficiencies. Rio drinks are available from most national wholesalers www.drinkrio.com @riosoftdrink

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

BRAND GROWTH OF +14% VALUE YOY FASTEST GROWING FLAVOUR

DELIVERING GREAT CASH MARGINS DON’T MISS OUT, STOCK UP NOW! www.drinkrio.com *IRI Marketplace Data Symbols & Independents 52 weeks Total Soft Drinks 21st February 2021

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

You Gotta Roll With It! Bolton chippy has started selling a battered chip butty - and customers have gone wild

erved with either English curry, Chinese curry, gravy or mushy peas, staff say the new food item has been flying off the shelves. Victoria Flatters, who has owned the business for eight years, believes she is the only chippy in the area to sell the battered barms. The 50-year-old said: “My daughter sent me a link about a battered roll and the shop who was doing it down south. “We weren’t sure about it because we thought it would be a bit of a mess. “But they’re quite light and really nice. People have been coming back for more – one customer has been every day for two weeks!”

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

The barm is made by putting the bread in the fryer and cooking it for three to four minutes. It is then turned over and cooked on the other side with the chips then placed inside. Victoria, who lives in Blackrod, continued: “We are the only ones doing it in the area. I don’t know anyone else that’s doing it. We just thought we would do a bit of variety.” “With demand I have to keep up with what people like and what the changes are, and it’s been a brilliant response. People have been coming back for more – one customer has been every day for two weeks!” Have you added anything unusual to your menu? Email austen@chippychat. co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

The Deep Fried Croatian brothers Wally and Ivan Marsic first opened the doors of their fish shop in Glen Innes, Auckland in 1967. Now, after 50 years at the helm, Wally has been joined in the family business by son Daniel and daughter Stephanie

ut the story starts long before this, with two boys who were born and raised in a tiny village in Croatia, Stilja, and a nearby larger town, Vrgorac, where family members still live. Older brother Ivan left Croatia by ship looking for fresh opportunities and came to Auckland, meeting up with other members of the Marsic clan who had already started new lives here. Eighteenyear-old Wally followed four years later, lured by his brother’s reports of what a good country this was to live and work in. Wally quickly settled down to work after arriving in Auckland, finding employment in a toy-making factory, followed by time with a relative, Ivan Simonovic, at Glen Innes Fisheries, while Ivan worked in a fish shop in Symonds Street, before the two moved to Fisher & Paykel. By 1967, Wally had saved up a bit of money and when an

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

old fish shop in Glen Innes came onto the market for sale, he and Ivan saw a golden opportunity. “The owner wanted £2000 for it, but Ivan had just bought a house and my savings were about £1600, so we offered that – and got it. We’ve been here together ever since, and we’ve never had an argument,” says Wally proudly. “The fish shop took off so quickly that we had to get a trailer too, to manage all the fish, then once we made some money we bought a ute,” says Wally. “We would clean the fish at the market while we waited for the boats to unload, then take the fillets back to the shop in the car.” Wally attributes his skill with the filleting knife to the experience and training he had from his father, who worked on the family farm and made shoes in the village. “I worked with him when I was young, learning to cut the rubber and leather for shoes, so it didn’t take long to learn to use the knife for cutting up fish.” After a very happy 50 years in business together, Ivan decided to retire last year, and Daniel, 33, and 29-year-old daughter Stephanie have now joined Wally. The shop is busier than ever, and their customers have hardly changed; “they are

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Marsic Bar! like family”, he says, and the children and grandchildren of their original customers come in each week for regular orders of fish. “People are more particular now; they like their fish filleted, no bones; we fillet a lot more now. People used to like to buy a whole fish. Now they want it cleaned and ready to cook.” Wally still gets up a 4am, then heads off to the city fish auctions every morning from Monday to Friday at 5.30am to bid for and bring back the day’s supplies – snapper, terakihi, kahawai, gurnard, salmon, hapuku, flounder. “Gurnard is really popular these days, a lot of people buy it to cook, but it is lovely in fish and chips too,” he says. Marsic’s fish and chips are a particular drawcard with customers, and the deep frier runs hot all day long, every day apart from a brief break on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Any fish not sold on the same day is turned into fish and chips and sold during the afternoon or the next morning to the first customers coming in the door. Wally and Daniel are behind the counter by 6am or 6.30am each morning and the shop is busy as soon as it opens: “We have people turning up in their pyjamas and buying fish and chips; some

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

customers are coming home from work, some are going to work, and some are there because they’ve got hangovers and can’t sleep,” laughs Wally. In among all this activity, the day’s fish has to be cleaned and filleted, the batter made for the fried fillets and, although the chips are no longer made from scratch on the premises, they are delivered fresh daily and have to be prepared for cooking. Plus, a couple of times a week, Daniel and Wally fire up the smokehouse, also on the premises, and smoke fish “of every sort” for their customers, using a “special ancient Croatian recipe” that Daniel won’t disclose, but Wally says is just the right sort of wood, a bit of salt, and nothing else, “all natural, no preservative”. They also happily smoke customers’ catches for them. And, of course, at the end of every day, the shop must be cleaned from top to toe. This is really important, as one of the reasons customers keep coming back to Marsics is because the shop is always spotless. When you read news stories and find Marsic Brothers used as a point of reference in Glen Innes, which is quite often, you realise just how well known they are.

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

The FriLights! Babylon Fried by top friers

By Austen Dack

sle of Ely Produce have been promoting a new Chip Ambassador role to promote the great British Chip in association with Agrico. The aim will be to carry on the good work promoting chipping potatoes at their hugely successful open days, and through the ‘Field to Frier’ award. The Chip Ambassadors will become part of an UK wide group of shop owners and fryers who will promote best practice for potato buying, storing, and of course frying. The chain will also include key growers too like PJ Lee & Sons, and A. L. Lee Farming Company, as IOE looks to nurture the relationships they have grown across the whole supply chain during the last twenty years. Agrico have partnered with Isle of Ely Produce to bring two new varieties into the trade initially via our Chip Ambassadors. The two varieties Babylon and Lugano will be sampled at some of these ambassadors to back up the results of early trial successes. We have travelled (keeping to covid restrictions) to many great shops in the last few months trialling Babylon including Shap Chippy, The Chip Shed in Bourton, and French’s in Wells Next to Sea. The overwhelming result of all of this testing is Babylon as a variety is looking like a star of the future. Comments have ranged from good size, rumbled well, not too much waste. In the range they fry well and come out with a good colour lovely and crisp and soft on the inside.

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

Oliver Boutwood Isle of Ely Director says. “It’s good to hear so many shops like the allround good characteristics of Babylon. We are pleased with this partnership between Agrico IOE and chip shop owners.” Alex Moore, Agrico UK Sales Manager said: “We are thrilled to be working closely with Isle of Ely Produce & the Chip Ambassadors to launch two exciting new varieties. As a business we are always trying to breed better tasting and more sustainable potato varieties.” Chip shop owners already signed as Chip Ambassadors for Isle of Ely Produce include Colin Cromer – The Fish Hoose, Kerry Brennan – Golden Union, David Henley – Henley’s, Richard Ord Jr – Colmans, Eric Snaith – Eric’s, Kelly & Tim Barnes – Krispies, Lauren Kellaway – Kellaways, Charlie Collins – Frydales, Fred Capel- Chez Fred, Matt & Ashley Phillips – Shap Chippy, Malachy Mallon The Dolphin Takeaway, Richard Foster – Fish and Chips at Weston Grove, Emir Hikary – Hiks, Alan Shillingford – Shillingfords, Gregg Howard The Chip Shed, Ian Wallis Henry’s Hunstanton, John Hudgell Pimp my Fish, The Petrou Brothers, Marcus French, and Sarah Heward – The Real Food Café. We will be featuring Babylon and Lugano reviews in the coming months, and at the Isle of Ely Open Day, where you can try them for yourselves. Email austen@ chippychat.co.uk if you would like to try them and/or become one of our ambassadors.

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

North West

Anthony Swift (Liverpool) Reliable daily deliveries throughout the North-West Guaranteed quality supplies throughout the year.

Specialist supplier to fish and chip shops

0151 526 5318 aj.swift@live.com

Call the Potato Professionals Today Bridlington Scarborogh Pickering

Pontefract Wakefield Bradford Leeds

NORTH YORKSHIRE

LANCASHIRE

EAST YORKSHIRE

WEST YORKSHIRE GREATER MANCHESTER

HA MS

D ER

CHESHIRE

Thorne Barnsley Sheffield Doncaster Rotherham Goole Grimsby

HIR E

SOUTH YORKSHIRE

LINCOLNSHIRE

NOTTI NG

Delivering quality potatoes throughout your region

A FF ST

OR D SH IR E

Established 80yrs

Mansfield Ashbourne Notts Derby Dronfield

LEICESTERSHIRE

North Lincolnshire Scunthorpe

Area Covered

Fixed price contracts available Potatoes replaced within 12hrs in the unlikely event of you being dissatisfied All batches rigorously checked and test fried Ring today for your free sample

Lomas Potatoes

01909 562327 07932 155677 (Andy)

(3 lines)

(S,Yorks, N,Yorks, Notts)

07703 263033 (Garry) (E,Yorks, N,Yorks, W,Yorks)

allomas@btconnect.com

THE HOME OF QUALITY CHIPPING POTATOES! Mitchell Potatoes (Estab 1883) is proud to be one of the UK’s longest established potato merchants, a record built on quality and reliability. We serve many of the UK’s best fish and chip shops

The Day of Champions! Isle of Ely Produce and Chippy Chat are once again opening their doors to chip shop owners and managers

sle of Ely Produce and Chippy Chat are once again opening their doors to chip shop owners and managers on Sunday September 12th 2021*! It is one of the industry events of the year, which was unfortunately cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. The event starts at 9.30 am at our farm in Ely, Cambridgeshire with a coffee and a chance to talk to industry colleagues. It is invaluable, not only do chip shop owners and staff find out first-

hand how the potato crop is faring for 2022, but they also get an idea about predicted cost and quality of the crop for the year ahead. Add to that lots of key suppliers will be exhibiting on the day, including Pukka Pies, Middleton Foods, Kerry, Premier 1 Filtration, TQ, Vito, Drywite, Friars Pride, Agrico, Norfisk, McWhinney, Seafood from Norway, BD Signs, Meijer Potatoes UK, ASAP Filtration, Panaepos & Smales. Please email austen@chippychat.co.uk if you

CONSISTENT QUALITY:

Our large supplier base and vigilant quality control helps provide consistent quality all year round.

PUNCTUAL DELIVERIES:

We run a fleet of modern vehicles with 24hr breakdown assistance.

P o t a t o e s

L t d

Contact / Follow Us

01926 633323

www.mitchells-potatoes.co.uk info@mitchells-potatoes.co.uk mitchellspotatoes @mitchellpots 40 Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021 @mitchellpots

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

would like to be a sponsor and/or exhibit on the day. You will watch presentations on our giant AV, with full staging, from award winning fish and chip shop owners, giving you valuable advice for your shop. Already we have fish and chip award champions The Cod’s Scallops, Drywite YFF Champion Charlie Collins, our own field to frier winners Fish & Chips @ Weston Grove, & Shap Chippy. We will also have Oliver Boutwood back with his Q&A sessions, plus the chance for you to try Babylon, a new chipping variety from Agrico, and lots of samples and freebies too. It’s the FREE industry event not to miss! The event is suitable for all levels of management and also young friers too. Maximum of 3 tickets per shop. FREE refreshments will also be served We will also be going out in the evening in Ely for an industry dinner. In 2019 over 60 people stayed in Ely for the meal and drinks. To get tickets email austen@chippychat. co.uk and we will send you a link to the FREE tickets *All will depend on the pandemic. Site will be as safe as needed, and government advice will be followed on the day for your safety.

Producing Quality Cambridgeshire Potatoes MarisProducing Piper - MarkiesQuality - Divaa - Agria Cambridgeshire Potatoes Our strength is continuity of supply Maris Piper Markies - Divaa - Agria Call your -local wholesaler today Our strength is continuity of supply Call your local wholesaler today and ask for PJ Lee Potatoes

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

SUPERNOR National Fish and Chip Day 2021 in Haxby! By Austen Dack

n Neoda’s National Fish & Chip Day 2021, I was invited to visit Miller’s at Haxby. It has been three years since my last visit and I was keen to see if the 2018 winners were resting on their laurels! To celebrate the day Millers teamed up with Norwegian vessels Ramoen and Leinebris to help educate customers on the origin of their fish. This was expertly put together by Bobby Joyce from Smales. I was on hand to talk about their chipping potatoes. June is not the best month to promote them but PG Chips had delivered some great looking Markies via Isle of Ely Produce. I also took some Babylon (a new Agrico variety) for them to try too. Also in attendance was Hans Frode Kielland Asmyhr the UK Director Seafood from Norway Millers set up a stall outside their shop and also gave away lots of prizes, hats, pens and also had a draw to win some books and knives. The interaction was great and customers seemed keen to learn about the green processes David and Nick have put in place across the business. Whilst the day was busy anyway for many shops across the UK, the PR on the day received nationally can only help support the trade. The aim is to promote great fish and chips and best practice whilst encouraging the nation to come and try our dish both on the day and later too. It was also great to see various industry companies coming together to promote the day. Most shops who joined in and did on the day promotions reported good/equal sales with many offering repeat purchase deals for subsequent visits adding further benefits to the promotion. Social media was running at fantastic levels again with #nationalfishandchipday in the top 10 on twitter all day and trending heavily on Facebook too. So had Millers rested on their laurels. Hell no. So much has changed since my last visit. The pandemic has inspired some of it but Nick and David’s vision and hard work has put in place new delivery systems (I’ve never seen so many kids on push bikes), ordering systems, new opening hours, new menus (everything made in house). One thing that had not change was their great tasting fish and chips, well worth my six-hour round trip Over the next two pages we have some pictures published from the day itself! If you have any more, please email me austen@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

MILL!

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

www.norfisk.co.uk | sales@norfisk.co.uk

A L L Y E A R R O U N D S U P P LY

S U S TA I N A B LY H A R V E S T E D I N T H E N O R T H AT L A N T I C

SKINLESS & BONELESS LINE-CAUGHT INTERLE AVED COD & HADDOCK 44

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • June 2021

6-8oz | 8-10oz | 10-12oz | 12-16oz