News / The best in the UK
FRANKIE’S has been named the best fish and chip shop in the UK at its second attempt, having been runner-up last year.
On Tuesday afternoon at the Lancaster Gate Hotel in London, the National Fish and Chip Award for the best independent takeaway in the whole of the UK went to the Shetland eatery.
Frankie’s also landed the Good Catch award for the most sustainable fish and chip supper after coming second last year.
For the past two years Frankie’s has been voted the best fish and chip shop in Scotland.
“We’re thrilled to have been selected as the top shop in the UK,” said Frankie’s manager John Gold, who was presented with the award along with owner Valerie Johnson and shift manager Carlyn Kearney in front of 650 guests at an event hosted by the BBC food and drink presenter Nigel Barden.
“It’s great recognition for all the hard work our staff put in to make sure our customers get top-quality fish and chips every time they come in.
“And it’s fabulous for Shetland, where fishing has been a way of life for centuries and which has some of the finest seafood in the world.”
Kearney added: “We were runners-up in this competition last year, so it’s great that we have managed to raise our game to convince the judges that we are worthy winners this year.
“The quality of the other fish and chip shops we were up against is phenomenal, so we’re really chuffed and we will make the best of it.”
A panel of seafood industry judges chose Frankie’s as the best independent fish and chip takeaway from among ten winners from different regions of the country.
The regional winners had been selected in September last year. Frankie’s was named best in Scotland for the second year running.
Its biggest selling product is traditional haddock and chips, but it also sells crab, mussels and scallops harvested around Shetland.
All of this seafood sold by Frankie’s is accredited as sustainably caught or harvested by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
Frankie’s staff have this year been visiting schools in Shetland to run the Frankie’s Fish Course, a fun but educational programme aimed at primary school children, helping them to understand the importance of sustainability and learning about different types of fish.
Staff at the shop also helped to raise almost £12,000 for the Fishermen’s Mission with two major events – a charity cycle sportive and a charity seafood weekend.
Frankie’s, which employs seven full-time and fifteen part-time staff, opened just over six years ago and has since won an array of awards, including best eatery in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland last year.
The National Fish & Chip Awards are organised by Seafish and the judges assess product quality, sustainable sourcing policies, marketing initiatives and customer service.
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