Winner of T&A's Best Chippy 2024 competition can today be revealed

THE winner of the T&A's Best Chippy 2024 competition can today be revealed.

Towngate Fisheries, based at the top of High Street in Idle, has scooped the top title.

The T&A received an amazing 2,237 nominations for the contest.

The list was whittled down to a final 10 fantastic fish and chip shops - with readers invited to pick up a copy of the newspaper and vote for their favourite by sending back a coupon.

Now it can be announced Towngate Fisheries earned the most votes from readers.

Well done on scooping the title! (Image: Newsquest/Mike Simmonds)

Manager Joanne Newman told the T&A: "We're delighted with this news.

"It's such brilliant recognition.

"We'd like to thank everyone who voted for us and, of course, thank all our customers for their ongoing support.

"Thanks also to the T&A for organising this competition."

Joanne said award-winning Towngate Fisheries was up against some "amazing competition", with the 10 finalists all profiled by the T&A.

She added: "We're lucky to have so many fantastic fish and chip shops in the Bradford district."

When Towngate Fisheries was profiled by the T&A, Joanne spoke about how Bradfordians’ affinity for fish and chips is ingrained into communities across the district.

She said: "Fish and chip shops are a big part of the community.

"Our customers like coming in to chat with us.

"It's all about the community spirit as well as the food."

Joanne, who has worked at Towngate Fisheries for 14 years, added: "Customer loyalty is important.

"I've worked here since I was 16.

"I started in fish and chips, so I think it's important to employ young staff to give them a strong work ethic.

"There are about nine of us. We're a small staff but we all work hard. We have a passion for what we do."

Towngate Fisheries' customers are not just from Bradford - they come from all over the UK and indeed the world.

"We have loads of people who come from overseas who like trying our fish and chips," Joanne added.

"We recently had a family from Japan who were on holiday in Bradford visiting their child who was a foreign exchange student, and they came into our shop every day for a week.

"We also had a family who came in to buy some fish and chips so that they could take them to Spain for their friends to reheat and enjoy them."

From everyone at the T&A, a very well done to Towngate Fisheries.