National Fish and Chip Day Event Raises More Than £1,200 for Sailors’ Children’s Society
June 9, 2026
National Fish & Chip Day 2026 saw NFFF members across the UK turn Friday 5 June into a true celebration of the nation’s favourite dish, with shops, restaurants and mobile caterers using the day to support their communities, raise money for good causes, reward customers, showcase different fish species and fly the flag for the fish and chip industry.
From Scotland to South Wales, from coastal towns to city centres, members marked the occasion in their own way. Some filled their shops with bunting, balloons and National Fish & Chip Day merchandise. Others took fish and chips out into their communities, visited care homes and hospices, hosted prize draws, launched competitions or gave customers the chance to try something new.
The result was a brilliant snapshot of what makes the industry so special: great food, hardworking teams, generous suppliers, loyal customers and a shared pride in fish and chips.
Shops dressed for the occasion
Across the country, members created a party atmosphere in their shops and restaurants.
Bizzie Lizzies in Skipton decorated both shops for the occasion, with staff wearing Union Jack outfits. They also teamed up with local radio station Your Skipton, who came into town and handed out vouchers for 10 free portions of fish and chips from the takeaway.
At The Fish Inn in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, the team went all-in with National Fish & Chip Day T-shirts and hats, bunting, balloons and social media props. They also brought in a face painter for children and adults, and offered free fish sample boxes for youngsters, featuring fish bites, scampi and squid with chips. The team promoted the celebration through posters and social media, creating a real buzz on the day.
The Cod’s Scallops in Nottingham also marked the day in style. The shops were decorated inside and out, staff wore National Fish & Chip Day T-shirts and hats, and customers received merchandise giveaways. The celebration also coincided with the business’s 15th birthday, so the team gave away 15 plates of fish and chips to dine-in customers at its Mansfield Road restaurant.
The Real Food Café in Tyndrum dressed the café with bunting, staff wore branded T-shirts and customers were encouraged to join in with themed photo props. A “Spin to Win” promotion gave every customer ordering fish and chips the chance to win a prize, including complimentary fish and chips, sides, branded bags and IRN-BRU items. Twenty customers won their fish and chips entirely free, with visitors from overseas also getting involved, many of whom were enjoying fish and chips for the first time.
There were also photo-led contributions from Scarletts in Trearddur Bay, Central F&C in Kinross, Harrison’s Fish & Chip Co. in Oxford, Jack The Chipper in Greenwich and Newington Fish Bar in Kent, helping capture the colour and energy of the day.
Giveaways, competitions and customer rewards
Many members used National Fish & Chip Day to give something back to their customers.
Scott’s Fish & Chips ran a hake and chips meal deal for £7.99 throughout the day, while Dorrington Fish & Chips in Spalding decorated the shop and staff in National Fish & Chip Day gear, offered a £7.99 hake and chips deal, and promoted the celebration through social media and a local food reviewer.
Mike’s Traditional in Eastleigh offered an £8.99 fish and chips special featuring a variety of fish, including cod, haddock and pollock, encouraging customers to try a different species at a great price. The shop also set up a customer area with National Fish & Chip Day props, encouraging people to share photos on social media in return for a free side. Owner Mike Isaac also appeared live on GB News to discuss the day and the wider challenges facing the fish and chip industry.
No1 Cromer in Norfolk ran a prize draw for everyone who ate in its restaurants or ordered from the takeaway, with four winners set to receive vouchers for a meal at No1.
Taffs Trading in Torrington, Devon, offered a free side with every fish and chips meal, covering cod, haddock and hake. The team reported queues from the start, more than 300 sides given away, a five-star review during a busy service and a mention from a local estate agent.
Trenchers used National Fish & Chip Day to help build excitement for the upcoming opening of Trenchers Bowness-on-Windermere. A social media competition was launched across its sister restaurant pages, offering one winner free fish and chips for a year, made up of 12 takeaway fish and chips from the new Bowness site.
Brockley’s Rock in London held a “Spin the Wheel” promotion during Happy Hour, giving customers the chance to win prizes including National Fish & Chip Day hats. Customers got into the spirit of the day, with photos and videos shared from the celebrations.
At The Fish Works in Largs, the team ran competitions and activities both before and during National Fish & Chip Day. This included an online “Spot the Difference” competition, in-shop games such as a coin drop challenge and a “balance the coin on the lemon” game, and the chance to win free fish and chips. The shop was decorated, staff wore branded T-shirts and hats, and the team handed out complimentary tasters of haddock and chips around the town.
Big events, free portions and supplier support
Several members took National Fish & Chip Day beyond the shop counter, with free portions, supplier-backed events and community giveaways helping thousands of people enjoy fish and chips on the day.
Your Plaice or Mine, in partnership with Time and Plaice, made a huge impact by serving free food to more than 1,000 hardworking NHS staff at St James’s Hospital in Leeds as a thank you for everything they do. The event was made possible thanks to support from across the industry, with donations from Collins Seafoods Limited, Smales Fish Merchants, Fastnet Fish, Great Grimsby Traditional Smoke Fish, Henry Colbeck, Middleton Food Products, W.A. Everett, Chippy’s Choice, Nortech Foods and T. Quality. Your Plaice or Mine and Time and Plaice also donated peas, gas, vegetable oil and their time, showing the strength of community spirit and industry collaboration on the day.
Penaluna’s Famous Fish & Chips took its Road Chip unit to Roald Dahl Plass in Cardiff Bay, close to the Senedd and Wales Millennium Centre. Supported by Friars Pride, Middleton Foods and T Quality, Lee and the team cooked and served 980 free portions of fish and chips to visitors. Cod was supplied by Smales and potatoes by Aye Aye Chips, with the team receiving excellent feedback on both the food and the speed of service.
The Bay on the Road teamed up with Marriott Glasgow for a free event in Scotland, cooking 300 portions for staff, guests and passers-by. Couper’s Seafood supplied the fish, Fresh Express Real Chip Company supplied the chips, and Colbecks, KFE, Gordon and Middletons also supported the event. Even a flight crew from Dubai joined the queue, adding to the atmosphere.
Frosty’s Mobile in Newcastle upon Tyne partnered with Henry Colbeck, its main supplier and a National Fish & Chip Day sponsor, to give away free fish and chips at Baltic Square on Gateshead Quayside. The team described it as an amazing day for the industry.
Sea Salt at Skirlington Coast in Hornsea hosted a Pukka pie tasting event and a local Hornsea cider tasting session, alongside free sides with every main dish purchased, including peas and curry sauce.
Pier Point in Torquay went out around the shop with free samples of huss and pollock for people to try. The team also raised money for The Fishermen’s Mission, while John from Friars Pride came along to support the day, dressing as Albert the mascot for photo opportunities. The shop received great feedback, with pollock already on the menu and huss set to be added as a special.
Community spirit at the heart of the day
Many members used National Fish & Chip Day to support local charities and community groups.
Bells Fish & Chips in County Durham pledged £1 from every cod and haddock sold in its takeaway shops to St Cuthbert’s Hospice and Niemann-Pick UK. The team raised £816 on the day, which Bells topped up to £1,000, donating £500 to each charity.
Quayside and Fusco’s in Whitby raised £220 for Whitby RNLI Lifeboat by donating the proceeds of mushy pea sales, plus an additional donation. The shop was decorated, the team wore official T-shirts and caps from NEODA, and students from a visiting school party joined in with Fish and Chip Day attire and social media props while waiting for lunch. A later update confirmed permission to use the school photo from the day, adding another lively image to the Whitby celebrations.
The Principal Café in Galston, Ayrshire, marked the day by feeding residents from West Park Care Home, Ross Court and Lady Flora, as well as after-school children. One new resident at Lady Flora enjoyed his very first fish and chips from The Principal Café. The team then went on to serve regular customers and cater for Sorn Primary School Quiz Night.
Zero Plus in Cardiff welcomed newly elected Plaid Cymru MS for Cardiff Penarth, Kiera Marshall, who joined the team ahead of National Fish & Chip Day. She helped prepare orders and deliver meals to residents at Ty Melin and Romilly Nursing Home, celebrating local independent business and community spirit.
Jo Jo’s Fish & Chips in Staffordshire fed all the staff and patients at Katharine House Hospice for free. The hospice cares for more than 2,600 people in Stafford every year, and the event received coverage from BBC Stoke Radio, BBC Midlands Today and Channel 5 News, as well as strong social media engagement.
Mister C’s in Selby combined National Fish & Chip Day with its 45th anniversary celebrations. The team ran a “Roll Up and Roll Back” tombola, giving customers the chance to win one of 45 portions of fish and chips at the original 50p price from when the business first opened. The activity raised £192.50 for The Fishermen’s Mission. The team also held a voucher treasure hunt around Selby town centre, hiding £45 worth of vouchers, including a golden voucher at the first site of Mister C’s. The shop was decorated, staff wore National Fish & Chip Day T-shirts and hats, and owner Mark Corbally praised the team, customers and suppliers who have supported the business over 45 years.
The Real Food Café also added a fundraising element to its celebrations, with Sarah Heward appearing on Duncan Barkes’s TalkTV show to fly the flag for fish and chips. The café also held a sponsored “Fuelled on Fish & Chips” press-up challenge in support of Toilet Twinning. Led by Sarah, the team completed 531 press-ups and raised £365, including £200 of in-kind sponsorship from Kerry Foodservice.
The Fish Works in Largs also used its in-shop games to raise donations for the local RNLI, while keeping the emphasis on fun, customer participation and community involvement.
Education, provenance and industry pride
National Fish & Chip Day also gave members a platform to talk about the people, skills and supply chains behind every portion.
Finney’s Fish & Chips in Anglesey, Wales, held a competition giving one winner the chance to go behind the fryer and cook their own fish and chips under guidance. Winner Stephen learned about the frying process and prepared his own meal, generating strong engagement both online and in the shop.
Knights Fish Restaurant in Glastonbury welcomed a group of 27 children and took them behind the scenes on a tour of the business. Working with Julie Waites at FASFA, the team showed educational videos of trawlers and helped the children learn more about seafood provenance and the work involved in bringing fish and chips to the table.
Towngate Fisheries in Idle, Bradford, used its own news feed to spotlight support for fishermen and thank everyone who visited on National Fish & Chip Day, reinforcing the connection between every portion served and the wider fishing industry.
The Crab & Lobster in the Edinburgh area also used the occasion as a platform for media activity, sharing TV links and wider coverage on the cost pressures facing Scottish fish and chip shops, helping bring industry challenges into the public conversation.
A nationwide celebration of fish and chips
What stood out from this year’s National Fish & Chip Day was the sheer variety of ways NFFF members chose to get involved.
Some focused on celebration, decorating their shops and giving customers a fun experience. Some used the day to raise money for charities close to their communities. Others hosted educational visits, promoted lesser-used fish species, thanked customers, worked with suppliers or took fish and chips out to people who might not otherwise have been able to enjoy them.
Together, the stories show an industry that is proud, creative and deeply rooted in its local communities. National Fish & Chip Day 2026 was not just a celebration of a much-loved meal; it was a celebration of the people, businesses and communities that keep fish and chips at the heart of British life.
