Fish N chips

[thirdcrank]

I fear the traditional local fish and chip shop is an endangered species or worse. I'm remembering a time of the numerous corner shops which included fish and chip shops selling only fish and chips with the only variations being a "special" ordered when you joined the queue, which would usually be a long one, especially on a Saturday lunchtime. Opening times were limited: never on Monday (when people finished their Sunday dinner, but for some reason often open on Thursday tea time. I think that these days, fish and chip shops - more often a type of café - seem to thrive in places which cater for day trippers: most obviously the seaside but also places like Skipton. Somewhere open all week which will deep fry while you wait all sorts including battered fish is hardly a fish and chip shop.

Re fresh fish, refrigeration means it's widely available in supermarkets etc

[mjr]

I fear the traditional local fish and chip shop is an endangered species or worse. I'm remembering a time of the numerous corner shops which included fish and chip shops selling only fish and chips with the only variations being a "special" ordered when you joined the queue, which would usually be a long one, especially on a Saturday lunchtime. [...]

Indeed. Another example of deviating from the retailer's preferred option being punished by having to order well ahead. It's not that Brits only like cod: it's that Brits have got used to being punished for ordering other things.

Re fresh fish, refrigeration means it's widely available in supermarkets etc

Is fish trucked up and down the country slowly in fridge lorries for days still what you call fresh? Then what do you call the stuff landed in the port this morning, packed in ice and sold on/in the local market/shops?

[simonineaston]

refrigeration means it's widely available in supermarkets etc

Guilty pleasure - some of Aldi & Lidl's pre-prepared frozen fish jobbies are quite nice, in my 'umble opinion - as good or better than some local chippies... Al referenced the breaded haddock earlier I think - blommin' luverly, innit!

[Paulatic]

Best fish I’ve ever had. Fresh haddock https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restauran ... _Hebr.html
Chips were only frozen but you can’t have everything.
Haddock is usually the default here in Scotland.
Cycled into Beer a few years ago and had a fish I’d never heard of and can’t now remember. Whilst unusual it wasn’t good enough to have another.

[Jdsk]

Cycled into Beer a few years ago and had a fish I’d never heard of and can’t now remember. Whilst unusual it wasn’t good enough to have another.

But would it have helped your memory?

: - )

Jonathan

[thirdcrank]

I fear the traditional local fish and chip shop is an endangered species or worse. I'm remembering a time of the numerous corner shops which included fish and chip shops selling only fish and chips with the only variations being a "special" ordered when you joined the queue, which would usually be a long one, especially on a Saturday lunchtime. [...]

Indeed. Another example of deviating from the retailer's preferred option being punished by having to order well ahead. It's not that Brits only like cod: it's that Brits have got used to being punished for ordering other things.

Re fresh fish, refrigeration means it's widely available in supermarkets etc

Is fish trucked up and down the country slowly in fridge lorries for days still what you call fresh? Then what do you call the stuff landed in the port this morning, packed in ice and sold on/in the local market/shops?

I suspect that people simply preferred the various exotic takeaways that replaced fish and chips.

I'm not such a connoisseur that I could honestly claim to be able to identify the difference between fish transported in different ways. Presumably, fish caught on the high seas - as opposed to just offshore - is stored for a while on the ship.

[simonineaston]

A nice fish experience - well, two actually! that I recall, is i) the oil drum smokery at one of the Paimpol music festivals - a dish of I know-not-what pieces of juicy, freshly-caught fish, at about 3 euro, last time. And ii) the almost industrial quantities / speed of arrival of the moules dolloped out by the excellent fish resturant on the street near the place du la republique - a festival special - 10 euro for the bowl, a glass of ice cold local wine and as much bread as you want.

screenshot of street in Paimpol

[mjr]

I suspect that people simply preferred the various exotic takeaways that replaced fish and chips.

Possibly, plus rats don't seem in any danger of being overfished

More seriously, some Asian takeaways are now much cheaper than fish and chips, although rising energy prices have put them up a bit.

[Tangled Metal]

Just checked, if you want to order online from our chippy to collect the earliest slot is 12 midday tomorrow. That's not busy, busy is when you have to book your slot two or three days in advance and then accept a late slot or book almost a week early for a teatime slot.

Other nearby chippies in the lancaster and just North area have at different times over the years won awards. Halton chippy gives you a buzzer because the wait is so long they're that busy. Worth the wait. Atkinson in bowerham is doing well as it's packet Bridge in BLS. I can go on.

It seems to me that most of the stories of chippies struggling come from the South or East or Yorkshire. In the North West they seem to do well, at least round here. Mind you I don't think the South East of England does f and c that well. I think it's a Lancashire thing for chippies.

[Paulatic]

. I think it's a Lancashire thing for chippies.

Be off with ya Best batter in the country is in the North East.
RE Halton chippy the original family who had it 30yrs live here in my village now. We call her chippy. Her Uncle had the Windmill on West road.

[al_yrpal]

refrigeration means it's widely available in supermarkets etc

Guilty pleasure - some of Aldi & Lidl's pre-prepared frozen fish jobbies are quite nice, in my 'umble opinion - as good or better than some local chippies... Al referenced the breaded haddock earlier I think - blommin' luverly, innit!

Yup and the Aldi beer battered Cod from the freezer, we alternate it.
After trying all sorts of chips in the air fryer I think McCains home chips are best. Both the Fish and the chips arent swimming in oil or lard but nice and crisp.

At our local chippies they are constantly busy with a maximum wait of about 10 minutes. Because the nearest is a couple of miles away we prefer to go with the Aldi ones.

Our monthly takeaway is a Chinese delivered to our door.

Al

[thirdcrank]

I has occurred to me that the Wetherby Whaler chain has gone some way to maintain and to a certain extent resurrect fish and chips. I say resurrect because Harry Ramsden's at White Cross, Guiseley, used to be a famous place, at least around here. The brand formed a franchise.

https://www.harryramsdens.co.uk/

Anyway, the Wetherby Whaler has now re-opened what was Harry Ramsden's at White Cross as its new flagship premises

https://www.wetherbywhaler.co.uk/about-us/

[al_yrpal]

Your Aldi offering, chip shop Beer Battered Haddock, Chunky Chips, Mushies. Tartar sauce, brown sauce.

Non greasy, crispy and inexpensive

Al

[rjb]

Day out in Lyme Regis yesterday, pretending to be The French Lieutenant's Woman on the Cob. Basic take away fish and chips £9.50 from a stall on the seafront. Peas were extra.
We take our own picnic. Buy the ice creams from Tesco or the Co-op up the hill too.

images.jpeg (13.11 KiB) Viewed 262 times

[simonineaston]

A pattern is forming. Tonight, it was breaded haddock from Lidl, penny chips, fried at home and posh mushy peas - home-made guacomole. Bloomin' Luverly!
Less than £3 a plate...