The Bay Named Best Fish & Chip Shop in Scotland

The Bay in Stonehaven is celebrating making it through to the final of this year’s National Fish & Chip Awards 2012 after being named the best Independent Takeaway Fish & Chip Shop of the Year in Scotland.

The shop, owned by Calum Richardson and his wife Lindsay, will now compete against nine other regional winners from across the UK for the coveted title of the nation’s Independent Takeaway Fish & Chip Shop of the Year to be announced at the grand final held in London on 17 January, 2012.

Meanwhile, at the start of November, all 10 regional finalists will enjoy a study trip to Norway, where they will learn about the supply chain of fish from Norway to the UK, to help them further improve their commitment to sustainability.

Reflecting on the success Calum, who has been in the industry for 13 years, said: "We’ve been aiming for this award since we opened the shop five years ago and to finally be named the region’s best fills me with pride.

"We try to source all the produce we use locally so the success we will have on the back of this win will benefit the whole area.

"I’ve got a great team at The Bay with my manager, Stuart Adams, having worked with me since the beginning. We’ll certainly be cracking open a bottle of champagne!"

The final 10 places were hard earned after an unannounced visit from industry judges. Shops were assessed on a wide variety of judging criteria, including: product quality; customer service; food preparation procedures; hygiene; innovation; staff training and development; promotional activity; and approaches to sustainable sourcing.

Organised by Seafish, the authority on seafood, the Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award recognises the wealth of quality, value and choice offered by the nation’s much-loved independent fish and chip shops.

In the past, the prestigious title has resulted in a sales increase of up to 100% for the winning shop.

Nikki Hawkins, foodservice and events manager at Seafish, said: "The UK’s fish and chip shops are a national institution, which this award has recognised now for the past 24 years.

"This competition has been our fiercest yet with each finalist facing stiff competition. The high standards and quality displayed by the UK’s top 10 fish and chip takeaways is testament to the high standards of the industry and committed approach to a sustainable future."

With over 250 million fish and chip meals sold each year from over 10,500 shops across the UK, fish and chips remains the nation’s favourite takeaway.

Devotees can tuck into their fish and chips knowing that they contain 36% less calories than a chicken korma and pilau rice, and 42% less fat than a doner kebab with ptita and salad.

Recent studies also showed that fish and chips had the lowest salt content of all the takeaways tested.

More information on the National Fish & Chip Awards.

More fish and seafood news from Scotland.