FISH and chip shops are frying high after reeling in gold and platinum Chip Fryer Awards, ahead of this year's National Fish and Chips Day on Friday (June 5).

Representatives from The Tasty Corner, The Town Fryer, Frydays, Newtown Fish Bar, Maria’s Plaice and the Nelson Chippery joined St Helens Council’s cabinet member for green smart and sustainable borough, Seve Gomez-Aspron in St Helens Town Hall Chambers- to celebrate the success of 19 local chippies that have been awarded the Gold standard – with 13 going on to achieve the prestigious Platinum status.

The Chip Fryer Awards, introduced by the council in 2014, recognises the best practice of chip shops to produce healthier chips that not only taste great, but contain less fat, with measures such as cutting the chips thicker, using hotter temperatures and portion sizes reducing the amount of fat absorbed by a chip by at least forty percent.

Cllr Gomez-Aspron, said: “When we first launched the awards last year, we only had six shops achieve the Platinum level, but I am thrilled to say we now have 13 businesses at the top level and a further six at Gold standard, which is a phenomenal development. We hope to see other chip shops take part in the award to increase these numbers further."

Please see the council website www.sthelens.gov.uk/chipaward to look at the criteria for the award.

Members of the public are also invited to nominate chip shops for the award by emailing teresamercer@sthelens.gov.uk