EB Gas at the NI Fish & Chip Shop Awards 2022

The 3^rd Annual NI Fish and Chip Shop Awards brought to you by AB Events, in association with SmartPay NI and EB Gas Services, took place on 27^th June at the prestigious Europa Hotel, Belfast, hosted and presented by the fabulous Pete Snodden from Cool FM.

Bringing over 500 entries across 13 different categories, those who made it to the finals at the Europa had been nominated via public votes before being judged by 3 mystery shoppers who scored the qualifying chip shops on their food, customer service and overall appearance of shop/displays/menus.

The most anticipated night of the year in the Chip Shop Calendar saw over 100 different chip shops covering the 5 counties whose achievements to the chip shop industry had taken them to the finals! That alone allocated huge applause at the massive awards event for the finalists in each of the 13 categories.

A well-deserved night out for all the finalists who worked hard over the last 2 crazy years of Covid, supplying families with their loved fish suppers and takeaway favourites, to be honoured for delivering such an invaluable service during those terrible times!

Almost 500 guests filled the hotel awaiting the winners being announced, and one of the special new categories on the night was in memory of the late Barry O’Kane, renowned for his top-selling title Big Buzz Magazine which along with his wife Jenny they established back in 1992, Barry and Jenny also went on to run the first ever celebrity awards to be held in Northern Ireland, Big Buzz Irish Entertainment Awards, where they enjoyed success for almost 20 years and added Battered Magazine to their list of publications, a speciality trade magazine for the Fish and Chip Shop Industry. As a result of trade response to Battered Magazine, they went on to create the first-ever Chip Shop Awards, established back in 2008…

To honour Barry for his hard work and devotion to the NI Chip Shop Industry, his daughter Aine O’Kane of AB Events entered a new category in his memory. The Barry O’Kane Award for Lifetime Achievement to the Fish and Chip Shop Industry, and the first, highly honoured recipient of this aptly titled award is the talented Alan Hannah for his dedication and work over many years, not only to his own award-winning chip shop, The Pitstop in Kilkeel but also for his hard work and commitment to the Fish Friers Association in Northern Ireland before his retirement.

The other highly anticipated category of the evening was the wait for the EB Gas Services Overall Best Fish and Chips Shop 2022 Winner! This category went to the well-appraised Fryday’s Chippy, Clady where the entire team were ecstatic to receive their award presented to them by the amazing Stuart Robinson of Cool FM / Downtown Radio.

And the winners are!!

The full list of winners on the night were…

The Lick Gelato Award for Best Fish and Chip Shop in County Londonderry – Chipmonger’s, Portstewart

The Phat Burger Award for Best Chain of Chip Shops – McCann’s Traditional Fish and Chips, Newcastle

The Loaded Street Food Ltd Award for Best Fish and Chip Shop in County Tyrone – Joe’s Traditional Fish and Chips, Sion Mills

The Oggies Dessert Bar Award for Best Fish and Chip Shop in County Down – Molloy’s Fish and Chips, Downpatrick

The Easipay NI Award for Best Fish and Chip Shop in County Armagh – Roadhouse Takeaway, Portadown

The Podium Orders Award for Best Catering Van/Trailer – The Catch, Kilkeel

The Pizza Guyz  Award for Best Fish and  Chip Shop in Belfast – Catch 2o2 Fish and Chips, Belfast

The Smartpay NI Award for Best Fish and Chip Shop in County Fermanagh – Stef’s Fish and Chips, Enniskillen

The EB Gas Services Award for Best Chip Shop in County Antrim – Fryday’s Chippy, Clady

The Sinley Chinese Award for Best Sit in Fish and Chip Shop – Doc’s Fish and Chips, Newcastle

The EB Gas Award for Best Overall Fish and Chip Shop – Fryday’s Chippy, Clady

The Barry O’Kane Award for Lifetime Achievement to the Fish and Chip Shop Industry  – Alan Hanna

The Smartpay NI Award for Best Fish and Chip Shop Menu Selection – Roadhouse Takeaway, Portadown

The Taste of New York Award for Best Customer Service – The Galley, Annalong