The Frying Squad beats off competition from thousands of other outlets for the coveted prize

The inaugural British Takeaway Awards last week crowned Northern Ireland’s The Frying Squad as the best takeaway restaurant in Northern Ireland beating off competition from Indian and Italian takeaways.

In a lavish ceremony at London’s Savoy Hotel, hosted by TV couple Tess Daly and Vernon Kay, the Frying Squad in Bangor came top in a national vote of more than 100,000 customers in the competition supported by JUST EAT, the online ordering service.

The chippie, run by Michael Neill, offers "locally sourced sauces” and prides itself on being customer focused.

Mr Neill said: "At The Frying Squad it has always been our mission to be the ^customer^s first choice for fish and chips^. We dedicate ourselves to perfecting every aspect of what great fish and chips should be.”

JUST EAT, the award’s lead supporter, also welcomed celebrity takeaway fans to the event to see first hand who would be crowned top of the takeaways included Celebrity Masterchef favourite Millie Mackintosh, Donna Air, and TV Chef Ainsley Harriott, who tucked into slow roasted beef fillet followed by pistachio panacotta.

Husband wife team Tess and Vernon, who admit they are no strangers to a curry, presented the awards which were attended by more than 250 takeaway owners from around the country.

Other worthy regional winners included the North East Retro Sweet Shop in Darlington, the first ever UK takeaway service to deliver American candy and Oreo Milkshakes to homes, with 85% of the shortlisted takeaway restaurants being available to order online through JUST EAT.

Northern Ireland runners up included:

• Nico^s Pizza & Pasta 61 Sunnyside Street, Belfast, BT7 3EG
• The Chippy 15 Railway Street, Antrim, BT41 4AE
• Romeo^s 103 Strand Road, Londonderry, Derry, County Londonderry, BT48 7NU
• Monte Carlo 147 Lower Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AG

In total, 14 awards were presented; made up of 13 regional awards for the best loved takeaway restaurants locally, and the overall winner.

The overall winner was Chris’s Fish and Chip shop in the village of Barwell, just outside Leicester.

Graham Corfield, UK Managing Director of JUST EAT, said: "A quality takeaway is a key part of a great British night in. We know customers love to enjoy a range of exotic cuisines, but this year the classic fish and chips has come out on top as the nation’s favourite.”

The first ever multi-cuisine takeaway awards launched as the nation’s leading takeaway service, JUST EAT, found that the UK takeaway industry is worth £9 billion to the UK economy. The takeaway industry in Northern Ireland injects £390m to the economy, generating 10,500 jobs. Total employment in the takeaway industry rose by 10% from 2012 to 2014 and by nearly 17% over the past five years, mirroring the wider growth the sector has seen.