[Archived] Chip Shop

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Today has been a sad day for me.

I went to my local chip shop, The St James Chippy, my 2nd home for the last 25 years for a little chinwag with Terry, the owner, whilst getting my usual. I walked through the door and Terry was no where to be seen. His wife, no where to be seen. His daughters, neices and nephews no where to be seen. Stood in front of me was a grumpy old mare and a man, who probably chewed wasps for tea, asking me what I wanted. For 20-odd years I didn't even have to ask what I wanted, it was ready and waiting. It shocked me. For a moment I actually forgot what my usual was considering the amount of freebies that usually gets thrown in.

I asked where Terry was, whilst secretly trying to look under the counter to see if they were all held hostage after being battered into submission. Terry, the man who watched me grow up as a little toddler to the man I am today, the man who served me my first bag of chips, the man who recommended mint sauce on my chips, the man who once told me that I shouldn't eat chips so often otherwise I'd get fat, had sold the shop.

"We're the new owners" they replied.

The chips were more expensive and tasted different....well, they tasted wrong. The price had gone up, the sausage wasn't battered properly. I have now decided to stop eating chips in Southampton. I am now only going to eat them whilst at away games or visiting different towns/cities.

So my questions to you all are:

1. What away grounds have a great fish and chip shop nearby?
   
2. What do you tend to order at the chip shop?
   
3. Have you ever tried a deep fried mars bar....if yes, describe...
   

[Billy Castell]

I went to a chip shop in Blackburn called Johnson's years ago, near a pub called The Price of Wales. This was about 15 years ago, but they made great chips.

[thenodrog]

[*]What away grounds have a great fish and chip shop nearby?

Grimsby Town... The fish are the size of bar mats.

[adopted scouser]

When I worked in Stroud I went to the chippy at the bottom of the high street, bloody gorgeous and I believe quite famous in the area.

In Blackburn visiting the parents it has to be Mill Hill, near the Spar NOT the railway bridge end of Wellington (?) Street. The parents insist on the one at Holly Tree.

In Liverpool it has to be the Lobster Pot.

Grimsby Town... The fish are the size of bar mats.

Christ, that would be small and thin - do you mean Bar Towels ?

[MCMC1875]

In Fleetwood - Richardsons.

In Great Harwood - Clayton Street.

[philipl]

Paul's in Headingley

The Golden Hind in Marylebone Lane.

Senior's in Norcross.

But the best too numerous to mention have been in Scotland. And yes I have seen deep fried Mars bar (and Snickers which I am assured is better) on a menu in Buckie but no I didn't....

[adopted scouser]

Deep fried Eccles cakes in err, Eccles

[HemelRover]

[*]Have you ever tried a deep fried mars bar....if yes, describe...

The first couple of bites are pretty nice. A nice mix of sweet and savoury. The batter needs to be very light though. However, deep fried cheesburgers are horrible.

[Sandiway Blue]

Once had Deep fried battered haggis up north east.....on the same tray as fish chips and curry!

[1864roverite]

Wheelton chippy when Frank and sheila had it sold the best ever curry and chips whilst the chipy from old at Withnell was also a cracker.

Browns at Chorley was good even if he was a mank u fan.

[thenodrog]

Christ, that would be small and thin - do you mean Bar Towels ?

Like a Yeti's foot Nick.

[Tom]

As I've grown up with it nothing beats Clayton Street, Dave is a legend.

At a chippy down in Exmouth I believe I had a mushy pea fritter which was awesome.

I've tried deep fried mars bars and mars bar pasties in sidmouth, both I thought were decent, like a hot mars bar doughnut.

[67splitscreen]

As I've grown up with it nothing beats Clayton Street, Dave is a legend.

At a chippy down in Exmouth I believe I had a mushy pea fritter which was awesome.

I've tried deep fried mars bars and mars bar pasties in sidmouth, both I thought were decent, like a hot mars bar doughnut.

Really, tell more.

[Clitherover]

Whalley Road Chippy in Clitheroe, it won second best chippy in the North West last year and run by Italians strangely enough, not sure which won the best chippy though.

[JC4LAB]

Metro fish bar on Manchester Rd.. Between Whitefield and Bury is very highly rated..Whats happened to Harry Ramsdens recently..Seem to have gone downhill..For anyone who doesnt mind Indian Fish & Chips some aint bad...then Masala Fish is one of My Favs.The same chippy can really vary..Best when busy,naff when about to close..For me its the fish takes makes the difference between chipshops.Like the Roe Lee chippy one.

[Jimbo]

As a lad - Joe Chipchase's shop on Oozehead was a regular thursday night treat for me and later on the chippy on Stansfeld street, but this has been a thorn in my side since moving south - I've yet to convince my missus that northern chippies are the best, every one I've taken her to so far has been rank. I'll have to make the effort and take her over to the Clayton street chippy and see if it's really as good as everyone says.

While I was waiting to join the forces in '78/'79 I had a job as a van lad at Wadno's delivering supplies to chip shops - what a dream job that was - two dinners every day in some of the best chip shops in Lancashire - just thinking about it brings a smile to my face.

Jimbo

[GiddyGoat]

Hodgson's on Prospect St, Lancaster is just about the perfect chippy. A bit further afield, the one on the Market Square in St Just, Cornwall has the best fish.

[LeChuck]

If any of you make the trip to the Barrow friendly, be sure to ask for chips, cheese and gravy. It wasn't until I moved away that I realised this wasn't a common combination.

[philipl]

Harry Ramsdens has been owned by Unilever for about 15 years now.

[RoyRover]

There used to be this chippy where I lived called Berties and it was the real deal. It was a legendary place. It was small, traditional take away chippy but people used to come from miles around to get their chips there. On a Friday night the que would be going up the street for the place. He retired about 15 years ago and new owners took the place on. There have been multiple different owners since then, with various names, but none of them have been like Berties was.

[vintageadidas]

Brian Street Chippy was class. Not sure if it is still open. Might have a look over the next week or so.

Hollytree is good but always too busy.

Pegottys in Marbella is lovely too.

[speeeeeeedie]

If any of you make the trip to the Barrow friendly, be sure to ask for chips, cheese and gravy. It wasn't until I moved away that I realised this wasn't a common combination.

I went to Uni with a girl from Toronto and she said that's what they put on their chips there.

[philipl]

Commiserations to Tim about his chip shop changing- nasty shock! Always a puzzle to me why some of the most surly unpleasant people believe they are made to be shop keepers/ pub landlords/ restaurateurs!

At the other end of the spectrum, there is no shortage of horribly bad chippies. My "favorite" was Monica's on Newlands Ave in Hull which seemed to serve as an emetic after a heavy night in town. Monica herself never washed or changed her clothes as far as anyone could tell, the floors were black with grease and the chip fat was never changed and was a repository for her fag ash. The fishcakes were notorious to say the least- I did have one that did not make me sick afterwards!

Used to bump into Philip Larkin there buying his chips on his way home from the University Library.

Sometime in 1975, the local health people shut it down.

[Billy Castell]

Harry Ramsdens has been owned by Unilever for about 15 years now.

That brings back memories. One was opened in Hong Kong when I lived there, and people went mental for it.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

A couple of mates and I went into a kebab/chip shop after a night out in Blackpool (after the Todd/Dugarry kick up the arse match) and we all ordered battered sausage and chips. After a while, the man serving us picked up the first battered sausage and accidently dropped it on the floor. In no time at all, he picked it back up, chucked it back in the deep fat frier and then dished up our meals. We told him that it was disgusting and he said that it was okay because the fat frier would have killed the germs. We decided to go elsewhere and got a load of abuse from the guy for wasting his food. God knows how some of these places past the health and safety tests. I think the place afterwards looked extremely horrible as well thinking about it.