BEST NEW FISH AND CHIP SHOP FINALISTS ANNOUNCED IN

NATIONAL FISH & CHIP AWARDS 2014

Finalists for the Best Newcomer Award category of the National Fish & Chip Awards 2014, organised by Seafish, the industry authority on seafood, have been announced.

The finalists are:

The Cod’s Scallops in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Godfrey^s in Harpenden, Hertfordshire The Scallop Shell in Frome, Somerset Carlo^s in Morpeth, Northumberland Blackstocks in Chester, Cheshire Scotts of Helmsley in York, North Yorkshire Mary Lambert in Hartlepool, County Durham

They have all been pitted against each other in the hope of winning the Best Newcomer Award at a grand awards ceremony due to be held at the prestigious Lancaster London hotel on 22 January 2014.  

The Best Newcomer Award, sponsored by Frymax, is open to independent fish and chip establishments that have been operating since no earlier than 30 September 2011 and recognises the fledgling businesses that have excelled since day one of their existence, demonstrating the growth of the industry and the encouraging outlook for the future.

Each shortlisted business will now receive a mystery judging visit from an industry specialist who will assess their performance in a variety of areas, including: product quality, customer service, food preparation procedures, hygiene, innovation, staff training and development, promotional activity and approaches to sustainable sourcing.

The award is sponsored by Frymax, the leading all-vegetable frying fat for the fish frying trade. Andrew Marriott, brand and marketing manager for Frymax, said: “This year we were delighted to receive a record number of entries for The Best Newcomer Award. The standard was so high that the judges felt that seven shops, rather than the usual three, deserved a visit to select the winner.”

Seafish CEO, Paul Williams, said: “The Best Newcomer Award is a great indicator of what the future holds for the foodservice industry. It acknowledges the new and successful people entering the trade from many different backgrounds and careers, and celebrates their achievements thus far.

“The consistently high standards and unwavering commitment these entrepreneurs are putting into their business offers inspiration to others looking to break into the industry in years to come.”