Last year’s fish and chip champions have done it again – Cockerton Fisheries are officially The Northern Echo’s Best Chippy for a second year running.
Owner Samantha Todd said since claiming the top spot last year, her already thriving business got even busier, but that times have also been tough due to increased fish prices.
She said: “We’re all absolutely delighted to win again! It is such a nice surprise.
“Times are tough in the fish and chip industry. Fish prices are shocking. We’ve had to put our prices up, and it’s a massive thing for us.
“Chippies are really struggling everywhere so this little boost for us is amazing, thank you so much.”
Cockerton Fisheries has recently branched out to start catering for weddings and large events, thanks to a growing partnership with the Yorkshire Wedding Barn, based in Gilling West, near Richmond.
Samantha said: “We delivered 70 portions to a wedding recently. We make them in the shop and deliver them in hot boxes and they arrive hot.
“Often with a wedding, the party do a big order for the night before or the day after, and we just make sure it works around our shop opening hours.”
Samantha said she has big plans to revamp Cockerton Fisheries, intending to buy the property after renting for more than 30 years.
She said: “I’m hoping to start work early next year - I want to make it more fresh and modern, and maybe make it a cafe again.”
Samantha’s daughter Poppy Wilson, 17, is now also lending a helping hand to the business by looking after the social media and marketing.
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She said: “We are a very busy shop, but after winning we got even busier. But we are very organised and work at a fast pace so it was nothing we couldn’t handle!
“The customers are already telling us they have been voting, which is so lovely to hear. We have a lot of regulars, and I still deliver to people who can’t get to us. “We have extended the seating outside, we have extra tables so can seat an extra 14 people outside.
“When they are full it is very busy!”
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