Our verdict on Oldswinford champion fish and chip shop
You can't beat good old fish and chips, and it seems that no-one can beat a Stourbridge chippy, which has been named the best in the Midlands.
Oldswinford Fish & Chips on Hagley Road has seen off tasty competition to come top in the Midlands category of the 2017 National Fish & Chip Awards, organised by Seafish.
It will now compete against nine other regional winners for the chance to be named best in the UK. In the interests of research, I visited this champion chippy to conduct a taste test on what is undoubtedly my favourite dish.
And I was not disappointed, first by the friendly welcome of co-owner John Ioannou, and then by the freshness of the fish he quickly served up.
As my plastic fork broke through the beautifully crispy, golden batter, I was greeted by succulent white cod that was second to none.
The accompanying slice of lemon was also an addition I have rarely had from a fish and chip shop, but a welcome one.
And we all know how important it is to get the chips just so, and I'm pleased to say that those spuds were satisfyingly crunchy on the outside and perfectly soft in the middle, with just the right amount of salt and vinegar.
It seems that the food is a direct result of the high standards of the owners.
Mr Ioannou says: "I don't ask the supplier how much it costs, just how good it is. I won't serve the customers anything less than the best.
They only supply around four chip shops and the rest is restaurants, including Michelin-starred restaurants.
He added: "I can't reveal who the supplier is, for obvious reasons." As well as the quality of their product, the success of the business seems to be down to the teamwork of John and his brother Zach, who inherited the family chippy from their father Andreas.
Having moved to the UK from Cyprus, Andreas opened the shop in 1977, a date that is proudly displayed inside the shop.
And it could be a very happy 40th anniversary for the business, as it will be in January next year that the announcement is made on which is the best chip shop in the UK.
