Fifeshire fish and chip outlet Anstruther Fish Bar took the staff training and development crown at this year’s national Fish and Chip Shop of the Year competition.
Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott handed the award to owners Robert and Alison Smith at a glittering ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, central London.
“Our most important asset is our staff,” said Alison Smith. “They work extremely hard to maintain our reputation as one of the top chippies in Scotland.”
The award recognised the training offered and undertaken by the Anstruther Fish Bar’s 40 staff, which includes modern apprenticeships in business administration, Scottish Tourist Board customer service training and various fish and chip cooking skills – for example, fish frying courses run by the National Federation of Fish Fryers and sector training operation Seafish.
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Seafish training adviser Richard Wardell said: “The winning shop has robust training standards in place and really stood out as an excellent example of a shop giving something back to its staff. As well as staff appraisals, external and internal training, the management team also encourages staff to input ideas to the business and work their way up the career ladder.”
The overall UK chippy champion is The Townhead Cafe, Biggar, Lanarkshire with Andy’s Fish Bar, Swadlincote, Derbyshire in second place.
