A CHIPPY is celebrating after our readers overwhelmingly named it the ‘plaice’ to be in our hunt for Bolton’s top fish and chip shop.

New Bury Chip Shop, in Farnworth, weighed in with a whopping 44 per cent of the votes in our online poll – the latest in in our Food and Drink Awards 2017 series.

The well-loved George Street shop saw off competition from runner-up Bennetts Lane Chippy, in Smithills and third-placed Olympus to net the prize.

Owner Steven Tomlinson has worked in the shop since he left school aged 16.

He took over the running of the shop with his wife, Paula, when his dad, John, retired two years ago after running the shop for 25 years.

Mr Tomlinson told The Bolton News he was delighted to have netted the accolade for the borough’s best chippy.

He said: “I feel great, feel fantastic. I think we would have won last year as well, but we didn’t know anything about it.

“Once we knew about it this year we told our customers about The Bolton News’ best chippy competition and I think that’s why we won I think, to be honest!”

“I’m definitely pleased we’ve always done a good service and to win something like this is great, and it shows our customers really appreciate us.

“A lot of them have set days,. You can always guarantee certain customers are going to be in on a Monday or Tuesday – and at the same time.”

Mr Tomlinson has added chicken curries and braising steak to the shop’s traditional chippy menu.

The 34-year-old said his food has to be of a high standard to keep people coming back. But added his staff’s relationship with his customers was also a big part of the shop’s success.

He added: “It’s all about the food, but we are polite as well. Every customer that walks into our shop we treat with respect. We speak to everyone nicely, no matter what their age or background.”