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High-Friers

South Shields Gazette
15th November 2007

A South Tyneside chip shop has battered the opposition yet again.

Much decorated Colmans on Ocean Road, South Shields, was named best fish and chip shop in North East England in an annual competition ran by the industry body Seafish.

Owner Richard Ord battled it out with Mark Drummond, of Towngate Fisheries in Bradford, for the regional title, and will now go on to compete against the nine other hopefuls to be crowned the best fish and chip shop in the UK.

Richard Ord said: "To receive recognition as the best in the region is an amazing achievement. This is our first year in the competition and the staff and customers are all very excited to be involved. It is a great reward for all our staff."

The ten regional finalists will now undergo a further round of judging. For the first time in the history of the competition, shops will be assessed on their commitment to building a healthy and viable future for the industry, as well as ensuring highest standards of product quality, service, cleanliness and innovation. Seafish bosses were not set to unveil the wunner until next later this month, but brought the announcement forward.

Phil MacMullen, head of enviroment for Seafish, said: "it's encouraging to see so many fish and chips shops now paying serious attention to creating a sustainable future for the industry.

"These shops are setting a fantastic example to not only to their fellow fish and chip shops, but the food industry as a whole."

The winner will be presented with the champions crown by Ainsley Harriott at a ceremony on January 23rd at the Roayal Garden Hotel in London's Kensington.

The Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Competition is now in it's 20th year.

Colmans latest award comes as the chip shop made it to the finals of the BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards 2007, where it has been entered into the Best Takeaway catergory.

The finals for those awards will be held on Wednesday 28th November in Birmingham where the winners will be announced.