Ready to batter the rest!
An award-winning chip shop in Hednesford could soon win another top industry honour after being shortlisted in a competition to find the country's best.
Staff at Pye Green Fish Bar in Broadhurst Green, Pye Green, now want to convince judges there is none better to make it on to the list of Britain's top chippies. Five chip shops from across the West Midlands have proudly made it on to the prestigious shortlist in the National Fish & Chip Shop of the Year Competition 2007.
All the shops on the shortlist will now receive a visit from a mystery judge who will mark the shops on the quality of their fish and chips, customer service, hygiene, staff training, plus efforts to source sustainable seafood.
The highest scoring shop in the area will be announced next month, along with 18 other area winners from across the UK.
In-depth judging will then pick just 10 of the 19 fish and chip shops to reveal Britain's 10 top chippies. That announcement will be made in November.
A grand finale will take place in London in January, hosted by celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott.
Other shortlisted shops are Dad's Lane Fish Bar & Restaurant in Stirchley, Our Plaice in Halesowen, Newbridge Fryer in Wolverhampton, and Pete's Chippery in Bedworth.
The competition is sponsored by Heinz SqueezMe! and supported by the Frozen at Sea Fillets Association and Seafood Scotland.
Andy Gray, Seafish project manager and competition judge, said: "This competition is all about finding the best people in the industry and showcasing their talents to the nation.
"Quality and service continues to rise every year, and with consumers increasingly interested in where their fish comes from, the competition now recognises the hard work of the most committed shops to source their seafood sustainably."
He added: "For example, we are seeing more and more shops starting to offer customers different varieties of fish, such as coley, which take pressure off the more popular species."
