CHIPPIES BOOSTING THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT ARE RECOGNISED BY NATIONAL AWARDS

Fish and chips shops are at the heart of towns and cities throughout the UK and the National Fish & Chip Awards is making sure businesses offering additional support to their local communities are acknowledged and rewarded.

Now in its second year, the Community Engagement award brings to light those who are taking their services beyond the counter. The category is a way to give back to forward-thinking teams of people that help strengthen neighbourhood relations, whether that’s through event organising, fundraisers, improving the local surroundings and other collaborative efforts.

The National Fish & Chip Awards pays tribute to excellence, and six outlets have been shortlisted by industry experts as fantastic contributors to community life. They are:

Bristol

Salt & Malt (Chew Valley)

The team has hosted five community markets which have attracted 4,000 visitors and supported 40+ local producers. The event has subsidised costs to make it accessible, with schools and care homes able to have a free pitch which helps different generations to engage. Alongside this, Salt & Malt makes annual donations to schools and charities in the area, with activities such food donations and sponsored sleepouts to raise funds for homelessness organisations. The restaurant and takeaway also raise awareness about sustainable seafood during Bristol Seafood Week.

County Durham

Bells Fish and Chips, Seaham

Bells honoured the town’s rich mining history when opening its Seaham branch by designing it like a mini museum, sourcing genuine artefacts including a railway track and incorporating them into the build. To give back to the community again and put the area on the map, the team celebrated its double win at the 2024 National Fish & Chip Awards by working with a local sculptor and commissioned a 3m tall, steel miner’s head statue, which stands proudly outside the restaurant.

Nottinghamshire

Angell’s Fisheries, Newark-on-Trent

The chippy serves free portions of fish and chips to partners of its local church youth group every month and hosts a fish and chip evening as part of Good Friday celebrations. VE Day is another occasion where Angell’s Fisheries provides complimentary meals for the community, and National Fish & Chip Day sees the team putting on activities and entertainment for children. At the recent Newark Dragon Boat Festival more than £1,400 was raised for it and Newark Duck Race.

Staffordshire

Jojo’s Fish & Chips, Stafford

Jojo’s is one of the biggest supporters of grassroots football in Staffordshire, sponsoring 200 teams. Members of the community who are housebound or in need don’t miss out on a chippy treat, as Jojo’s has a special e-bike delivery service to make sure all have a delicious meal. On National Fish & Chip Day, the team gave back by feeding 2,550 people from the NHS, RAF Cosford and local care homes for free. Christmas events and litter picking meetups are also organised to show care and compassion for people and the local surroundings.

Yorkshire

Ranmoor Friery, Sheffield

Ranmoor Friery actively raises funds for Cavendish Cancer Care and Western Park, two organisations dear to the team’s heart, which involves raffles and various activities such as doing the 10K London marathon and the occasional sky dive! The chippy’s owner, Rani, is taking part in a trek up Mount Kilimanjaro next year to raise more essential funds for the cancer charities. Having a lot of elderly customers, the team helps with doing their grocery shopping and organising lifts to and from hospital appointments. A new project working closely with the community to promote anti-littering near the shop is also currently being set up.

Time and Plaice, Doncaster

Lee Robinson, owner of Time and Plaice, dedicates time working alongside Doncaster Street Hub helping the homeless and those in need across the town centre, delivering food and clothing donations. Invaluable support comes from the chippy’s suppliers Henry Colbeck, Collins Seafoods and Great Grimsby Traditional Smoke Fish. All tip money received is used to buy extra supplies, with further help coming from kind customer donations. Little ones in the community are also supported such as a local football team, as well as a young man pursuing strongman competitions who received help with travel costs to Spain. Most recently, all the children at the village school were cooked for during their annual camp-out event.

The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) organises the awards and brings the industry together. Its President Andrew Crook speaks of the deep connection that runs between fish and chip shops and communities. “Fish and chips became a symbol of comfort for the nation during World War II and helped act as a morale booster during the difficult times.

“Today we see how the sentiment remains true – the culturally embedded love for a chippy meal still encourages a coming together through the ups and downs. Great food and a strong customer base are an integral part of a fish and chip shop’s success story, and chippies have become places where ideas are formed, and goodwill gestures are put into action.

“Our brilliant top six are showing the fruits of this unity and the power of community relationships, which is crucial for recapturing the heyday of the high street as promising centres for opportunity.”

Leading fish producer JFK is the sponsor of the award and it too holds a pillar position in the Faroe Islands’ fishing history. It has vast resources and expertise, with a portfolio that includes sea-frozen ground fish from the North Atlantic and processed fish from Faroese waters.

Jógvan Hansen, sales and operations director at JFK, says of the inspirational competitors: “We are delighted to support and sponsor the Community Engagement Award at the 2026 National Fish & Chip Awards. Congratulations to the shortlist! It has been great to hear about all the community initiatives, and we wish them the best of the luck for the next stage.”

Kyriacos Karoulla, owner of Brockley’s Rock in London, which claimed the prize at the 2025 edition of the awards, adds: “Winning the Community Engagement award was incredibly meaningful – it recognised that Brockley’s Rock goes beyond being just a local chippy. Since winning, we’ve elevated our community efforts, most recently donating 50% of our birthday takings to three charities supporting people and the planet locally and as far as Africa.

“The award has inspired our team, delighted our customers, and become part of everything we do. We wish all this year’s entrants the very best of luck and thank you for the brilliant work you’re all doing in your communities.”

The six will next become three, with the finalists invited to the London-based awards ceremony on 25 February at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, to find out who will take the title.

The National Fish & Chip Awards invites you to celebrate outstanding achievements in the industry. Book your tickets now at https://thefishandchipawards.com/event-tickets/

For more information and bits on the National Fish & Chip Awards, please visit: www.thefishandchipawards.com.

Image credit: Brockley’s Rock