Demise of the traditional fish and chip shop

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What ever happened to the traditional British chippy?  These days if you're out for a night on the tiles and have a hankering for some fish and chips at pub closing time, the chances are you will be out of luck.

There are still a fair number of chip shops around but they all seem to shut quite early on in the evening.  Our local chippy may well open earlier, but they shut well before pub closing time at around 10pm.  Even before the pub opening hours came into force I'd noticed that most of the chippy's in towns that I visit seem to shut up early.

Whilst the chip shop is closed we still have plenty of choice for late night food.  There are Indian takeaways, Chinese, kebab shops and pizza restaurants etc.  You name your taste and the chances are you can probably get it, except that is if you fancy some fish and chips or pie and chips.  I know the kebab shops, even the Indian and Chinese places do chips - but they're just not the same.

Sadly, gone are the days of the fish supper (that's what we called them) wrapped up in newspaper, black pudding, white pudding, mushy peas etc; they're all a thing of the past it would seem and have been replaced by artificial, over salted potato shaped into skinny fries with mechanically reclaimed chicken.  This lovely meal is of course served up in a polystyrene tray with a plastic or wooden fork thrown in for good measure.

Please... bring back the traditional British chippy at pub closing time.  I miss the mushy peas, fish and chips, but most of all I miss that lovely chippy sauce!

By: Kenny

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Steve

Chinese often do scampi & chips etc. It's just that Brits don't work late night or early morning which are deemed as 'unsociable' hours. The indians/P*kis/chinese don't care. they work harder than Brits thats it.

16/05/13 Steve

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MikeP

I don't vote. Simples, as Alexandr Orolv says.

If you wish to know why, I've explained it in previous postings.

26/11/11 MikeP

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townender

mike p I am curious as to know how you know who I voted for.

25/11/11 townender

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MikeP is a wanker

Hmm whos Nitpicking now then? I didnt realise Mrs Bloodclart was taking bets, where does she state that?

22/11/11 MikeP is a wanker

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MikeP

"Oh and the other reason is keep letting the influx of foreigners in who seem to take food outlets over due to you dont't need an apprenticeship to cook fast food."

No, it's more a case of the Brits are so far up their rear orifices they don't want to work in service industries so the foreigners come in and do it better and provide more variety. Remember also that you voted for the bunch of corrupt scum sitting in Westminster who opened up the borders to all and sundry. Even if you didn't vote for them, you didn't vote against them, so you can't bleat about it now.

22/11/11 MikeP

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townender

They tend to shut early due to the antics of the two bottles of Stella or whatever and I want to fight brigade. The reason we can't get proper fish and chips is, British people want to make money too quickly, not using lard to fry and the foreigners type of batter-flat, thick and not cooked inside. Oh and the other reason is keep letting the influx of foreigners in who seem to take food outlets over due to you dont't need an apprenticeship to cook fast food.

22/11/11 townender

4

Nick

OMG the jokes get worse, sausiegty is going down the tubes and we're well and truly pickled.

24/09/11 Nick

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Bangalore-Madras

Anyone for Bombay Duck and Chapati? Hallo Hallo

23/09/11 Bangalore-Madras

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Fred E

I heard there'd been a fight and a fish had got battered.

23/09/11 Fred E

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Nick

Agree Terry. They used to shut after pub closing time at 11, in fact they quite often used to be open until 11.30, midnight or even later. Now you'll probably find a kebab shop open somewhere but never a traditional fish and chip shop. Why???

23/09/11 Nick

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Terry

I don't know why they shut so early. I have often walked past my local chippy after 10pm and can't use them because they're closed. One less customer. It's their loss.

23/09/11 Terry

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Boblet

In Bradistan they are called Fisheries. On my first visit a couple of years ago I went into a Fishery to ask directions. A customer came in whilst I was there & ordered fish & chips with scraps, they were served wrapped in mass's of newspaper. The following day I was in a cafe in the town centre. My companion ordered pork pie & peas, drenched in mint sauce. Other's where eating both black pudding & pork pie with peas, again drenched in mint sauce. Need I say more on the demise of the British Chippy?

11/09/11 Boblet

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London Lad

Traditional fish and chips from the old style chippy is now too expensive anyway. Who wants to pay a fiver for a cod when you can have a tray of kebab meat and chips for £3.50?

10/09/11 London Lad

2

i love icecream

your right bring back the chippy's now every one goes for a curry instead of fish and chips!

29/09/10 i love icecream

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Dommy

Even the great british chippy is not a chippy anymore, a lot of them are expanding to include Pizza and Kebabs with a delivery service; years ago there used to be Pizza / kebab shops with delivery, etc.

Chippy's have needed to expand to sell other foods probably mainly due to fish and chips costing quite a lot and people also want variety and have it delivered.

If you go to the coast like Whitby or South Shields you can still see traditional fish and chips served in boxes, lovely.

05/08/10 Dommy

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