Organised by Seafish, the authority on seafood, these awards are designed to celebrate the very best fish and chips businesses Britain has to offer. These three finalists are no exception.

The top three are: Poppies in Spitalfields, RockFish in Dartmouth and The Quayside in Whitby.

These three finalists will be invited to a glitzy evening awards ceremony at the prestigious Lancaster London Hotel in London on 24 January 2013, where the overall winning business will be crowned. This year marks the 25 anniversary of the awards, making the event even more special.

Paul Williams, CEO of Seafish, said: "This award recognises restaurants that are committed to excellence in all aspects and the judge is determined to pick a worthy winner.”

"The judging criteria are diverse with sustainable sourcing, customer service and staff training procedures amongst the areas assessed. The three finalists must ensure they excel in every area of their business to stand a chance of winning.”

David Lovell of award sponsors Goldensheaf, said: "The UK’s fish and chip shops are a national institution and all shortlisted restaurants have earned their place in the final.

"This competition has been the fiercest yet with each finalist demonstrating the highest standards and best quality. These three fish and chip restaurants are truly committed to excellence in all areas and should be proud to have reached the final of such a prestigious contest.”