Reviews

His Royal Fryness

Evening Chronicle
Thursday 6th March 2008
Sonia Sharma

Tyneside Fish and Chips for Queen and 500 Special Guests

Guests at a South American Royal garden party are to tuck in to a taste of Tyneside.

The Queen’s birthday in Guatemala will be celebrated with a posh bash at the British Embassy.

There, 500 guests will toast Her Majesty - and be treated to fish and chips from Tyneside.

Embassy officials approached Richard Ord, of Colman’s, of South Shields, to help with the catering for the event.

Mark Day, who works for the Embassy, contacted Mr Ord after hearing about his famous fish shop.

Now Mr Ord, who has been running the shop for 38 years, will be providing his expertise to ensure people in Guatemala enjoy their food.

The business, which is based in Ocean Road, South Shields, has experience of organising dinners for VIPs.

One regular is South Shields MP and Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who has shown Tony Blair and Ken Livingstone the culinary delights of Colman’s.

Mr Ord, 53, said: “I was very surprised and delighted to receive an email from the British Embassy. I hadn’t realised that our reputation had spread so far.

“We do various dinners for events throughout the year. The biggest one we had recently was organising lunch for around 150 people after Tony Blair gave his lecture at the Customs House.

“The Embassy asked us if we could help out with Her Majesty’s birthday celebrations in Guatemala and we were really pleased to be of assistance.

“Maybe next year the Queen will have a fish and chip themed summer garden party at Buckingham Palace. We are on standby to assist should she call.”

Though cod, hake and plaice will not be on the menu, guests will eat the best white fish in the tropical seas.

They will be served their meals in Colman’s traditional takeaway boxes, the bunting will be from South Shields, and those serving the food will be wearing Colman’s T-shirts.

Mr Ord added: “This is great for the North East, as it shows our businesses are becoming known in far away places. It is also great for fish and chips - they’re a national treasure.”

Mr Miliband said: “When Richard told me the embassy in Guatemala had been in touch, I wasn’t surprised to hear why.

“I think it’s great that local businesses’ reputations are being spread far and wide. With the advice from the staff at Colman’s, the guests will have a fantastic time.”

The shop was crowned best takeaway in the BBC Food and Farming Awards, and in North East and Yorkshire’s Fish and Chip Shop of the Year competition.

Last month TV presenter Keith Chegwin visited Mr Ord to present another prestigious award. To celebrate National Chip Week, Cheggers and a potato expert said Colman’s made the region’s best chips.