The Finalists for the 2025 National Fish & Chip Awards Field to Frier Category

The race to claim the prestigious Field to Frier Award at the 2025 National Fish & Chip Awards is heating up, with three exceptional fish and chip shops from across the UK securing their spots as finalists. The contenders, representing Greater Manchester, Kent, and Aberdeenshire, are now gearing up for the showdown at the glittering awards ceremony on February 26 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London.

The Field to Frier category is renowned for highlighting the vital role of quality potatoes in creating the perfect chip. This award celebrates the expert selection, preparation, and cooking techniques that transform humble potatoes into golden, crispy chips that stand out on their own and when accompanied by various sauces and condiments.

After a meticulous judging process, the shortlist of 10 competitors has been trimmed down to just three finalists, each aiming to follow in the footsteps of 2024’s winner, Bells Fish & Chips of County Durham. The finalists include:

• Taylors, Stockport, Greater Manchester

• Newington Fish Bar, Ramsgate, Kent

• Redcloak Fish Bar, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Andrew Crook, President of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), the organisation behind the awards, expressed his admiration for the finalists. He stated, “We are truly impressed by and proud to present Taylors, Newington Fish Bar, and Redcloak Fish Bar as the UK’s finest in this year’s Field to Frier category. Each business has demonstrated incredible dedication to perfecting its craft, ensuring its chips shine in texture and flavour. We eagerly anticipate presenting one of them with the award in February!”

The Field to Frier category is sponsored by Isle of Ely Produce, a key supplier of over two million bags of potatoes to the UK fish and chip industry annually. The company has partnered again with Agrico, the producers of the Babylon variety of potatoes, which has garnered significant praise in the fish and chip sector.

Oliver Boutwood, Director of Isle of Ely Produce, commented, “It’s thrilling to see three outstanding shops reach the top three in our Field to Frier award. We are committed to providing the best potatoes for the industry and look forward to working with the winner in 2025.”

Agrico UK, known for developing potato varieties tailored for the fish and chip market, has seen great success with Babylon, a newer variety making waves in fish and chip shops nationwide. Alex Moore, Sales Manager for Agrico, said, “We are excited to see how the industry is embracing Babylon. We look forward to crowning the winner and sending them some of our Babylon potatoes to try in their shop.”

As the 2025 National Fish & Chip Awards count continues, the industry eagerly anticipates which of these skilled shops will take home the coveted Field to Frier trophy.