Scots chippy named as UK's best

Winners Gordon and Sandra Hillan with Ainsley Harriott

A fish and chip shop in the South Lanarkshire town of Biggar has been named the best chippy in the UK.

The Townhead Cafe won at the finals of The National Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition on Wednesday.

Gordon and Sandra Hillan, owners of the cafe, received their award from celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott.

The last time a Scottish champion won the accolade was in 1998. Run by the industry body, Seafish, the competition is in its 20th year.

Mr Hillan has worked in the fish and chips industry for nearly 30 years, learning the ropes from his dad, a cook in the merchant navy.

Several rounds

He and his wife beat off competition from nine other UK finalists.

After several rounds of judging, including a mystery shopper visit, the outcome was finally decided after a round of presentations to a panel of industry experts.

For the first time in the competition's history, entrants were judged on their commitment to building a sustainable future for the industry.

Points were given to shops according to their use of sustainable species and the measures they have in place to encourage customers to try something new.

Mr Hillan said: "This is a true honour to be crowned the UK's top chippy. I have been working towards this goal for many years and I'm delighted to be taking it back to Scotland. Running the shop is hard work but this victory proves it's worth all the effort.

"I'd like to say a huge thanks to my team for their hard work and passion."