yep, had them there when i was photographing the Mary Ann Hepworth, to start designing my fist kit, the Ann Letitia Russell lifeboat………they were indeed beautiful, succulent and very fresh fish.

I have enormous respect for the contribution in all wars of the whole merchant marine.

I am still not interested in how good (or bad) the fish & chips are in Fleetwood in the 2020's.

i know, Stephen……….i just wish i'd had the money…….

I get nice fish and chips from the “Molesey fish bar”. Ashley

Let's face it, there's cracking fish and chip shops all over the country, though I agree that if they are in sight of the sea it does add to the experience.

We have a really good one in Warwick and you can't get any further from the sea!

Chris

ahhh guys……………but the make or break is the simple and basic question.

skin on, or skin off

i once took my kids to a caravan park in Scarborough in my tourer with wife for a weeks holiday..

went to the local chippy and saw, cod skinless, haddock and hake, skin on.

So asked the frier could you please skin the Hake……………no!!

could you skin the haddock then please……no!!!!…….if you don't like cod, have a pudding

No thanks, i'll go somewhere else!

please yersell!!!

Aw- your a peacemaker Ashley, Try Cromer seafront restaurant, best I've tasted

Andy

I am of the controversial opinion that the goodness of the f&ch is not simply having nice fish, but depends on how they are cooked on the day by the staff.

These staff persons my not be fish ‘chefs but simply minimum wave wallahs running through the motions as instructed.

I have been to several named fish and chip shops, and whereas the product was acceptable, it was not outstanding in any way. Seeing hoards of people queuing up outside Gordon Ramsey’s f&ch bar at Whitby (or who/wherever don’t quote me..it’s the other geezer isn’t it?) you wonder how much individual attention is being paid when the serving staff are clamouring for more fish?

Just secure my plaice (!) at the top of the witches pole, Weatherspoons does cracking f&ch. Batter fab crunchy, fish not oily, chips nice. The thing is..it’s the same every time I go in there…super consistent.

Ashley (beer batter to be deep fried please)

Hi All,

The F&C shop next to the roundabout at Rye, East Sussex, where all the A259 bikers congregate is pretty good

Regards Ray

When I was a kid Harry Ramsdens in Shipley was a 'proper' fish and chip restaurant. Silver service, chandeliers, waitresses in black and white, proper silver cutlery and tea in proper china. Menus in silver holders on the table with only different types of fish available. Beautiful place, beautiful atmosphere, stunning food. Every bank holiday there was a huge queue down the road waiting for tables, usually in the region of an hour long. People were happy to wait though because it was worth it.

Then a friend came to stay with us with his girlfriend when I was living in Halifax and we decided to treat them to a Harry Ramsdens. We turned up and walked straight in. The place had been gutted and turned into a 'fast food' franchise. Bright gaudy colours, menu plastered across across the wall selling pies, nuggets and all sorts of other garbage from a McDonalds type queue system. Collected the food in polystyrene trays and sat down at a formica table. The food was tasteless, bland, not hot and soggy. I really could have cried. Then, when I worked for Disney I visited Epcot and went along to the 'United Kingdom' area. They had a Harry Ramsdens take away window next to the Rose and Crown pub. We tried it. Exactly the same tasteless plastic junk food as sold in all their outlets now. What is it that seems to attract people to American style junk food?

As for Whitby, the place to go is 'Trenchers', if they are still there. Again a 'proper' fish and chip restaurant of a superb standard and top quality food.

As for Ashley saying it is how they are cooked, again when i was young all fish and chips in Halifax were cooked in beef dripping, which had a wonderful taste all of its own. Nowadays it is all vegetable oil, which really isn't the same.

Edited By Richard Simpson on 02/10/2022 11:37:04

i'll eat most fish, and kippers nicely fillited are lovely hot with a nob of butter…….

however i will not eat eals, or herring

but how many of you have ever eaten Sturgeon………..i had it whilst sailing home on a Russian cruise ship from Australia via Cape Horn…..bland and pretty tasteless………they didn't even put it in batter, it was poached in lemon juice to try giving it some flavour……….as for the fruit of its loins, Caviar………..i've had a gob full of sea water whilst swimming that tasted better

Prawns are my limit but I don't mind pullingt the cooked variety to pieces…

You do have to be careful with shellfish, one bad one can lay you low.

Colin