The Elite Fish & Chip Company has two reasons to celebrate this ‘Fryday’ after being named among the top ten restaurants and the top 50 takeaways in the UK by Fry Magazine.

Director Rachel Tweedale at The Elite Fish & Chip Company said: “We’re over the moon to have been recognised in both categories; our Lincoln restaurant and Sleaford takeaway have made the grade and the staff should feel very proud of themselves. I want to congratulate everyone on a job well done.

“What makes this competition special is that it is judged by mystery diners, making it a true reflection of our fish and chips and our customer service.”

The Fryer Magazine competition, which is now in its sixth year, had 600 shops all vying for a place on the list following a mystery visit to each takeaway and restaurant. Over 40 aspects of the business are carefully scrutinised from the quality of fish and chips and staff presentation to front-of-house hygiene and customer service.

Shops that communicate the provenance of their products, for example, where they source their fish and potatoes, are awarded extra points as are those which have a social media presence, card payment facilities and disabled access.

Food remains the main focus, however, with all outlets assessed on the flakiness of the fish, crispness of the chips and the crunch of the batter, alongside value for money.

Reece Head, competition organiser at Fry Magazine, said: “Once again we’ve got a fantastic list of fish and chip shops spanning the length and breadth of the UK who put their all into their business, their staff and their food.

“With margins getting tighter for fish and chip shop owners and more competition than ever before, it’s a tough business to be in these days, but these shops are going out there, investing in their business, motivating their staff, staying up-to-date with the latest food trends and embracing technology. More importantly, they are giving their customers what they want – top quality food and great customer service in attractive, inviting surroundings.

“Our mystery diners are the toughest customers of all to please, so we’re delighted to say these shops all made the grade and we welcome them to our lists.”

The award wins come in an important year for Elite. September 2018 marks 30 years since the Tweedale family moved from Huddersfield and opened their first shop in Ruskington near Sleaford. To mark the occasion the Elite is embarking on a year-long celebration, and plans are already afoot to raise £30,000, which will be split equally between three charities: the RAF Wings Appeal, the RNLI and Sleaford Dementia Support.

To find out more about the Elite’s fundraising throughout the year, keep up with their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds or visit www.elitefishandchips.com