Episode 210 – Jo Hage & Lynda Simmons: Building the Buzz Around National Fish and Chips Day

If you’ve ever wondered how a national food day comes to life—or why National Fish and Chip Day continues to grow in impact—then Episode 210 of The Ceres Podcast is your golden ticket. In this vibrant and thought-provoking conversation, host Stelios Theocharous sits down with Jo Hage of Rise Communications and Lynda Simmons of NEODA to discuss the origins, evolution, and future of one of the UK’s most beloved food celebrations.

What starts as a light-hearted catch-up quickly becomes a fascinating dive into the challenges and creativity behind building a national awareness campaign—without the deep pockets of big brands.

Behind the Scenes at NEODA

Many in the industry recognise the NEODA stamp on packaging, but few truly understand the level of protection and integrity it represents. Lynda walks listeners through the association’s 80-year legacy, from creating their oil monitoring program in the 1980s to modern-day efforts against misleading product claims. Her stories of catching out mislabelled oils and dubious “fat-free” marketing highlight how much work goes on behind the scenes to maintain industry standards.

It’s a reminder that trust and transparency in hospitality don’t happen by accident.

The Humble Origins of a National Day

What’s striking is just how small National Fish and Chip Day began. Jo reveals that it launched in 2015 with just four Twitter followers and virtually no presence elsewhere. With only four days to prepare, it was a mad scramble—but the public response was electric.

Ten years of relentless PR work, media relationship-building, and creative campaigning followed. From engaging with care homes and schools to sparking national press interest, the campaign has matured into a powerful promotional tool for the entire industry.

“We’ve gone from no media knowing who we are to them now ringing us,” Jo proudly says.

Goodwill Over Gimmicks

The heart of the episode is a discussion on how fish and chip shops—regardless of size or budget—can get involved. Stelios passionately argues that doing something, however small, matters. Whether it’s giving away a few meals to a care home, handing out vouchers for quieter days, or simply putting balloons up in the window, it’s about building community goodwill.

The tone is refreshingly honest. The trio acknowledge criticisms of the day’s Friday placement (clashing with already-busy shop times), questions around chip quality in June, and the now-infamous mystery of the “10,500 shops” statistic that no one can quite verify. Yet instead of ducking the hard questions, they lean into them—with warmth, humour, and an open invitation for the industry to be part of the solution.

Guerrilla Ideas & Ground-Level Action

From discussing why the King should tweet about fish and chips to floating guerrilla marketing stunts like air-dropping biodegradable leaflets (yes, really), this episode is as much a masterclass in grassroots marketing as it is a celebration of a humble national dish.

The overarching message? This day isn’t just one Friday—it’s about re-energising the fish and chips brand.

As Jo puts it:

“It’s not about fish and chip shops. It’s about fish and chips. The dish. The experience.”

Why Business Owners Should Tune In

Whether running a single site or managing a group of shops, this episode is a must-listen. It’s filled with actionable insights, a strong sense of community, and a big-picture view of how independent businesses can work together to create momentum—without needing million-pound budgets.

More than anything, it’s a rallying cry: if you care about the future of fish and chips, National Fish and Chip Day is your day to show it.

Listen to Episode 210 now on The Ceres Podcast. And don’t forget to subscribe—because these conversations don’t just fry themselves.