Two Lancashire fish and chip shops named among best in the UK
It's no secret that us Lancastrians love a good old chippy.
It's honest, good, hearty food and thankfully, we're not short of decent fish and chip shops in the county. So, it's about time there was some recognition for our great chippies, particularly as the shortlist for the National Fish and Chip Awards 2025 has been announced.
40 of the best fish and chip shops in the UK have been shortlisted in the Takeaway of the Year category, organised by the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF). However, it's not as easy as just being a delicious chippy in order to get on the list.
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The process includes a meticulous set of tasks, challenges and interviews covering industry awareness, product knowledge, environmental and sustainability best practice, employer responsibilities, customer service and more.
A panel of chippy experts assessed impressive takeaways from across the country and have come up with the shortlist, but it's just the first step in achieving the coveted title.
For Lancashire, two of our chippies have made the shortlist - Farington Chippy in Leyland and Westend Fish and Chips in Oswaldtwistle. Last year, LancsLive visited the Oswaldtwistle finalist and found the fishcakes delicious, comforting and pleasingly homemade.
We also spoke to the mother and daughter, Lesley and Deryn Regan who own the establishment, who said about the NFFF competition: "They check everything, how I do my fish, they check how I fry, all my processes in the shop.
"It's quite an intense programme. But it stands you apart. I think there's only eight in the North West - a few over in Blackpool, one in Cheshire, so this way there's only us and one in Chorley."
President of the NFFF, Andrew Crook, says the category has seen many fantastic submissions. "Fish and chips is such an iconic British staple and it takes huge amounts of skill and hard work to not only perfect the dish and other menu offerings but to also overcome challenges and sustain the business while keeping employees motivated and fulfilled. There’s a lot to it and each awards season we see greater depths of talent, expertise and business acumen and this trend has continued this year, too.
"Takeaway of the Year is the big one, so it goes without saying that the journey it takes contenders on is very intense. At each stage learnings and recommendations are provided to encourage the hopefuls to keep pushing forward and that’s why the National Fish & Chip Awards is seen as the competition for chip shop owners that want the additional steer to become better than they were before. We’re off to a brilliant start and we’re excited for the next rounds and to honour these deserving people."