The national Fish and Chip Shop of the Year competition, organised by the industry body Seafish, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

The idea for the competition came from the friers themselves back in 1987, with the first competition held in 1988, which saw Toff’s of Muswell Hill in London becoming chippy champion.

The shops will be judged this year by a selection of industry representatives including previous winners, industry writers and members of organisations such as Seafish, the British Potato Council and the National Federation of Fish Friers.

The ten regional finalists face a strict judging criteria, gauging each finalist’s dedication to areas such as cleanliness, customer service and providing a quality product as well as their committment to building a sustainable future for the industry by sourcing their fish from well-managed stocks.

The winner will be announced by celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott on January 23 in London. Tell us about your favourite chippy in the comment box at the bottom of the page.

TOP 10 CHIPPIES

1. The Townhead Café (Biggar, Scotland)

185 High Street, Biggar, ML12 6DJ (T: 01899 221001; www.townheadbiggar.com)

Recently announced as Scotland’s number one chippy, the Townhead Café is a splendid, family-run business sourcing predominantly fresh Scottish haddock from sustainable waters off Shetland. An excellent example of a community fish and chip shop, it is a welcome stop for a heart-warming plate of fish and chips.

2. Taylor’s Fish & Chips (Pennygraig, Wales)

66 Tylacelyn Road, Pennygraig, Tonypandy, Mid Glamorgan, CF40 1JU (T: 01443 442062; www.taylorsfish.co.uk)

The current Welsh champion, Taylor’s Fish & Chips is committed to serving high quality fish from sustainable sources, specialising in four species: cod, plaice, haddock and scampi.

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