Colmans of South Shields has won top honours once again, winning the accolade of number one traditional chip shop in Britain from men’s magazine Esquire, whose food editor is Tom Parker Bowles.
The magazine said of the popular Ocean Road eatery: “Colmans is the coastal town chippy you remember from childhood, and it’s brilliant.
“Run by Richard and Frances, the fourth generation of Colmans to fry fish at South Shields, it’s all white-tiled walls and chalk boards showing the catch of the day.
“Colmans, whose impressive fan base includes Bill Bryson, Alison Steadman and Lord Mandelson was rated best in the UK at The National Fish & Chip Awards in 2011.”
Owner Richard Ord said: “This is another great coup for Colmans. To be number 1 in another national list is a great achievement for the business but it’s also a great honour to be able to help put South Tyneside on the map.
“We go to great lengths to make sure our customers receive the very best tasting and sourced food on their plates and it’s fantastic to see the hard work of all our staff has once again paid off.”
Colmans: awards and praise
Having won countless awards the restaurant is also a hit with celebrities – with the likes of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Hollywood star Patrick Stewart, best-selling author Bill Bryson, film producer Lord David Puttnam, former Foreign Secretary and South Shields MP David Miliband, Loose Women host Denise Welch, Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall, politician Lord Peter Mandelson, former Olympic medallist and founder of the Great North Run Brendan Foster, Gavin and Stacey star Alison Steadman, Auf Wiedersehen Pet’s Tim Healy, Coronation Street’s Liz Dawn and TV personality Keith Chegwin all dropping in for a bite to eat.
Colmans opened in 1905 and is now ran by Richard and Frances Ord, fourth generation owners. The business has been based in Ocean Road since 1926.
Its successes have included Best UK Takeaway in the BBC Radio 4 Food & Farming Awards, UKTV Gary Rhodes Local Food Heroes National Winner, The National Fish and Chip Awards Best UK Restaurant, The National Fish and Chip Awards National Winner Good Catch Award, Esquire Magazine’s Best UK Traditional Shop and The Northeast Tourism Awards Taste of the Northeast Gold Award.
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The Esquire Lunch List – 8 of the Best Traditional Chippies in Britain
1 Colmans, South Shields182-186 Ocean Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear colmansfishandchips
2 The Golden Galleon, Aldeburgh aldeburghfishandchips
3 Anstruther Fish Bar, Anstruther – 42-44 Shore Street, Anstruther, Fife anstrutherfishbar
4 Hanbury’s Famous Fish & Chip Shop. Princes Street, Babbacombe, Torquay, Devon TQ1 3LW hanburys
5 Cobo Fish & Chip Bar, Guernsey- Cobo, Castel, Guernsey (+44 1481 254 276)
6 The Laughing Halibut, London, 38 Strutton Ground, London SW1P 2HR
7 Fish & Chips at 149, Bridlington,149 Marton Road, Bridlington, East Yorkshire fishandchipsat
8 The Golden Union, London- 38 Poland Street, London W1F 7LY goldenunion
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