New Lancaster chippy is frying high with prestigious award

The new chippy, in Aldcliffe Place, has been given the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) Fish & Chip Quality Award.

The award is a huge achievement since the shop only opened in December.

The award identifies fish and chip outlets that serve the highest quality fish and chips following a thorough assessment of the premises, equipment, working practices, hygiene standards and management controls, along with the quality and taste of cooked fish and chips.

Quays Fish and Chip owners Keith and Helen Clokey said: “We are very pleased to acheive this prestigious award.

“To be recognised as one of the top fish and chip shops by the NFFF is indeed an honour and a credit to our hardworking staff, especially Nathan our manager, who we would like to offer our sincere thanks for their continued hard work and efforts to maintain our excellent reputation.

“The award doesn’t just represent the fish and chips we produce, but also the hard work and high quality produce our local suppliers provide us to work with.”

The National Federation of Fish Friers, the trade body that represents the nation’s fish and chip shops, runs the scheme as a way of raising standards within the fish and chip trade and enhancing the profile of the industry.

The scheme is a way of rewarding and promoting shops that provide good quality products and high standards of hygiene, as well as friers who show a high level of competence.

To qualify, each shop has to go through an inspection by an NFFF Approved Assessor who assesses the shop’s presentation, hygiene and cleanliness, staff training, equipment, frying and sales skills and most importantly the quality of the cooked product.

This award sets the new benchmark for quality within the industry.  It will signal to the consumer that they can buy with confidence where the award is displayed, and it will encourage more outlets to raise their standards.

Each Fish and Chip Quality Award is valid for two years and retention is dependent on standards being maintained as validated by NFFF officials and appointed assessors.

NFFF training and accreditation manager Richard Wardell said: “The NFFF Fish & Chip Quality Award assessment is extremely comprehensive. Food safety is a key area that we examine together with other key aspects of the business including the preparation and cooking equipment, to the management of paperwork and the traceability of fish.”

“Quays Fish & Chips clearly takes pride in where it sources its fish and potatoes from,” added Richard.

“Achieving the NFFF Fish & Chip Quality Award provides reassurance to customers that they are being served cooked food using high-quality ingredients.”

Currently around 250 fish and chip outlets across the country have been recognised with the NFFF Fish & Chip Quality Award.