THE Little Chippy in Tyldesley has been named as one of the UK’s 50 Best Fish & Chip Takeaways 2021.

The accolade follows an extensive search by leading trade publication Fry Magazine to find those chippies serving up the finest fish suppers amidst a tough and challenging year.

To make the 50 Best, The Little Chippy had to impress a mystery diner who visited unannounced and marked the chippy on over 40 aspects of their business, from the quality of the food and customer service to their social media presence and their Covid safe practices.

With the pass mark set high at 97 per cent, The Little Chippy scored an impressive 99 per cent with the mystery diner particularly praising the “service was excellent, it was quick and efficient yet personal with food prepared correctly.”

“The chips were absolutely fantastic and went down a treat and the fish was fantastic, it ticked all the boxes that you could want for the perfect fish.”

Anna Leigh, owner of The Little Chippy, said: “It is an absolute honour to make the top 50 best chippy’s in the UK. This has been a challenging year to say the least but we have kept going with the support of our lovely customers. We are so happy that our hard work has paid off in this our 1st entry to this awards scheme, it is a real team effort here at The Little Chippy our No1 focus is making sure our customers enjoy their food.”

Reece Head, competition organiser, added: “Without doubt, the last 12 months have been tough for fish and chip takeaways and many will not have dealt with this level of crisis management before.

“Allowed to stay open during the pandemic, there was a lot they had to implement in a very short space of time to operate in a Covid safe manner. Many had to flip their businesses to click and collect and delivery, serve at the door, introduce card payments and work in much smaller teams, but they did and they kept the nation fed including our elderly and vulnerable, those shielding and our key workers.

“This year’s judging criteria took into account these changes and we’re delighted to acknowledge that, despite the difficulties and added pressure, The Little Chippy never let standards drop. During this pandemic they have been at the heart of their community, with a smile on their face and hot food in their hands. We’re proud to have them in our 50 Best Fish & Chip Takeaways for 2021.”

Fry Magazine’s 50 Best Fish & Chip Takeaways is in its ninth year and sponsors include Goldensheaf, Frymax, Friars Pride, VA Whitley, Henry Colbecks, Middleton Foods, KFE, Brakes, Pro Fry, BD Signs, NFFF, Nortech Foods, Sarson’s and Acumen.