CHIP SHOP’S AMBIGUOUS SIGNS

Everyone knows Rick Stein’s reputation, so when he praises your food you’d do well to advertise the fact.

And that’s exactly what NFFF member Lilian MacDonald did. But a simple sign outside her Oban Fish and Chip Shop has sparked controversy. Lilian claims a rival shop – Nories – have hijacked her shop’s good reviews and are confusing customers.

Along with Rick Stein, Daily Record restaurant critic Tam Cowan raved about Lilian’s fish and chips. To attract more customers, Lilian quoted Rick and Tam in her shop window and on a street advertising board.

Soon after, similar words of praise from “Rick” and “Tam” appeared on a shiny new advertising board outside Nories fish and chip shop.

Nories – a few metres away from Lillian’s shop in Oban^s George Street – is run by the Di Ciacca family.

They have served fish and chips to the people of Oban for three generations, while Lilian has been running her chippy for eight years.

Lilian said: “Rick Stein said our fish and chips were the best he had ever tasted. We were in his programme Food Heroes and he was seen coming out of our shop with fish and chips.

“Tam Cowan said we served him the best bit of chippy-style fish and the best mussels he had ever tasted, too. We thought we would promote it, so we put signs up a couple of years ago and people are always commenting on it. The reason I put the signs up was because I didn’t want people getting confused with the other place. It was just a bit of marketing. But then one of my staff came in with a photo of their new sign.”

Lilian said she felt the public were being misled. She added: “It might not say Rick Stein and Tam Cowan but it says Rick and Tam and it is blatantly obvious they are trying to confuse people.

“I feel that they are trying to undermine me in my business. There is plenty in the town for everyone but they want the biggest piece of the pie. How would they like it if I put a sign outside saying, ‘Three generations of fish-frying excellence’?” 

Rick Stein refused to comment but the Record’s Tam said: “I stand by every word I said.”