The UK’s top five fish and chip restaurants have today (Monday 14 November) been announced by the 2017 National Fish & Chip Awards, organised by Seafish.

Shortlisted as part of the awards which are widely considered as the ‘Oscars’ of the fish frying industry, the five businesses are:

• Mister C’s in Selby, North Yorkshire
• Harbour Lights in Falmouth, Cornwall
• The Fisherman’s Wife in Whitby, North Yorkshire
• Pelican Fish & Chips in Barnstaple, Devon
• Seafresh Restaurant in Victoria, London

They will now ‘batter’ it out as they vie for the Independent Fish and Chip Restaurant of the Year Award and aim to claim the title of ‘best fish and chip restaurant’ in the UK. 

To get to this stage and secure a place as a finalist, the restaurants have been appraised by industry experts across a wide variety of judging criteria including, responsible sourcing policies, menu diversification, restaurant facilities and appearance, staff training and development practices, and marketing and promotional activity. They have also received mystery shopping assessments to ascertain customer service levels and the quality of the fish and chips on offer. 

Over the coming weeks, the shortlisted restaurants will be subjected to additional in-depth judging audits to assess both the front and back–of-house operational aspects. This final stage of competition judging will determine the overall winner of this award category that will be announced at the awards ceremony, held in London on 26 January 2017.

Marcus Coleman, Chief Executive at Seafish, commented: "With the popularity of fish and chip dining establishments on the increase, the restaurant dining experience has now come up to par with the traditional fish and chip takeaway.

"Many consumers are now looking to dine out when eating their fish and chips, reinforcing the importance of this award category – we must recognise and reward our country’s best fish and chip restaurants for providing a stellar customer dining experience.

"The high level of standards and professionalism embedded within our finalists this year is outstanding. They are worthy ambassadors for our industry and are a prime example of why the UK is the home of the world’s best fish and chips.”

Award sponsor Alan Pearce, Field Sales Manager at Goldensheaf, added: "As the UK’s leading batter mix producer, with a heritage of over 60 years, we can identify with the importance of being recognised as a quality performer within the fish and chip industry.

"This award category rewards those that provide an outstanding fish and chip dining experience for their customers, while continually striving to improve their standards and diversify their offering. The top five restaurants are worthy contenders, each bringing a unique offering to the industry. We wish them all the best in the final stage of judging and look forward to seeing who comes out on top.”

Culminating in an awards ceremony in London on 26 January 2017, The National Fish & Chip Awards are recognised as one of the most prominent and respected seafood industry events in the UK. Widely considered as the ‘Oscars’ of the fish frying industry, they celebrate the Great British tradition of fish and chips, recognising the best talent, quality and choice offered by fish and chip businesses through 13 different award categories.