The finalists for a new category at this year’s National Fish & Chip Awards 2013, hosted by Seafish, the authority on seafood, have been announced.

Launched in January 2011, The NFFF Fish & Chip Quality Award is designed to raise the standards of the nation’s fish and chip shops, awarding the shops that achieve the perfect balance between good quality products, clean hygienic premises, high standards of shop appearance and highly trained and competent managers and staff. 

The Quality Award ‘Champion’ Award has been created by the National Federation of Fish Friers to reward the quality award holding shop in the scheme that stands out from the rest and has done the most to actively promote not only itself, but also the NFFF Fish & Chip Quality Award scheme and the fish and chip industry.

The judging for the finalists took place at the NFFF head office, with representatives from the NFFF and Seafish being joined by an independent judge.  Delighted by the response to the competition Denise Dodd, General Secretary of the NFFF commented, “The response to this competition has been excellent and we have so many shops to thank for sending in their entries.  Just about every entrant has told us that passing the assessment gave such a morale boost to their staff, that the quality of their service and turnover increased dramatically.  The standard of entries was so high, that in addition to our three finalists we are awarding an additional four shops with a highly commended for the work they have done”.

In no particular order the 2013 finalists are:-

• Harbour Lights, Falmouth – contact Peter Fraser 01326 316934 or 07971 653013 or pete@harbourlights.co.uk

• Platten’s, Wells-Next-The-Sea – contact Phillip Platten on 01328 711249 or 07827 515757 or pcplatt@aol.com

• The Chippy, Antrim – contact Joanne Graham on 02894 460987 or thechippy@railwaystreet.co.uk

The following fish and chip businesses placed as highly commended:-

• Bath St Chippy, Barrow-In-Furness

• Fryday’s Fish and Chips Emporium, Cardiff

• Papa’s, Worksop

• Henley’s of Wivenhoe

The top three finalists will now attend the National Fish & Chip Awards at a glitzy evening awards ceremony in London on the 24th January 2013, held at the Lancaster London Hotel.  

To learn more about the NFFF Fish & Chip Quality Award scheme please visit www.qualityfishandchips.co.uk