A popular County Durham fish and chip shop has been shortlisted within the top five in the whole of the UK, as it vies to be the best in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Bells Fish and Chips at Framwellgate Moor in Durham has been picked out as one of the best around, as it was shortlisted for the Restaurant of the Year category in the National Fish & Chip Awards.

The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) organises the awards and the notoriously comprehensive assessments entrants undertake are vital for unearthing where the opportunities are to set new benchmarks in the industry and to encourage bigger goal-setting for those taking part.

Bells Fish and Chips in County Durham in UK's top 5:

Bells, who has five venues in the North East, has been shortlisted for numerous awards in the past and has come out victorious in a handful of these prestigious accolades. 

Alongside Bells in County Durham, Trenchers in the Spanish City, Whitley Bay has also been shortlisted, alongside fish and chip shops in Devon, Gloucestershire and London.

Up next for the challengers is the mystery visits portion of the competition, which will be the decider for who will receive the distinguished title.

The finalists will head to London where the winning restaurant will be announced on February 26 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London.

The five shortlisted restaurants are:

  • (Framwellgate Moor), Durham
  • Trenchers Spanish City, Whitley Bay
  • Pier Point, Torquay
  • Malt and Anchor, Cirencester
  • Toff’s of Muswell Hill, London

President of the National Federation of Fish Friers Andrew Crook, said: “The choice available in the restaurant space means fish and chip operators must pull out all the stops to stand out and attract customers.

"We can safely say that we have found a group of business owners who are very accomplished in doing that and a whole lot more.

"Our finalists have such a detailed focus on product refinement and skills honing that they are creating high-end fish and chips and dining experiences that can’t be denied.

"What a final Restaurant of the Year is going to be!”

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Luke Townsend, marketing manager at Friars Pride, who is sponsoring the Restaurant of the Year award, added: “A massive congratulations to the top five fish and chip restaurants. 

"It is an amazing achievement to make it this far in the process, which has had many fantastic restaurants entering.

"These top five shops highlight the high standards and quality of fish and chips within the industry, as do the other entrants to the award."