STAFF at a dale fish and chip shop are hoping it will be third time lucky for them as they have been nominated for a national award for the third year in a row.
Barnard Castle based 149 Fish and Chips, in Galgate, have made it to a shortlist of 60 in the National Fish and Chip Shop of the Year awards, organised by Seafish.
Nick Gilbertson, director, said: “We’re all delighted. We hope to get as far as we can this year and it would be great to win.”
Mr Gilbertson, who shares the running of the Barnard Castle shop and two others in Catterick Garrison and Bridlington with his mother Sue Gilbertson and John Hutchinson, said they are still striving to improve, adding that their gluten free range of products have gone down well.
It is the third time the chippy, which has a staff of 20, has been nominated for the award. Two years ago they were rated among the top 60 in the UK and in 2017 they were named in the top 20.
Nominated shops are judged on more than the taste of their fish and chips – sustainability, menu innovation, catering for special dietary requirements, customer service and marketing all play key parts.
All 60 shops across the UK will be visited by a mystery diner who will whittle down the number to 20 and then ten before the final stage of judging. The winner will be announced in London in January.
Mr Gilbertson added: “We won’t be doing anything differently as we always strive to provide the best service and, of course, the best fish and chips.”
