There’s few things Britain does better than a chippy. That deep-fried cod and fluffy chip combo is unbeatable, and residents of one seaside town seem to know that better than anyone else.
In order to figure out exactly where the UK’s chip shop capital is, Finnish company Suomikasinot has been doing some research. It found out how many chippies there are in every authority in England, then did some maths to determine how many shops that is per 100,000 residents. From there, it was able to name the area with the highest concentration of fish and chip restaurants in the country, aka the nation’s undisputed battered-fish centre.
It’s common knowledge that the best chip shops are by the sea, so it also makes sense that the nation’s chippy capital would be on the water. In the end the title went too… Scarborough! With a total of 93 establishments, which equals 85.4 for every 100,000 people, the north Yorkshire town is spoiled for choice. There’s a brand new, fresh-fish retailer around every corner – almost literally. The report explained that the village has ‘long drawn visitors with its harbour views, sandy beaches and love for proper fish and chips, with fresh North Sea catch on the doorstep.’
In second place was East Lindsay, the district home to popular seaside destinations like Skegness and Mablethorpe. It has 89 total chippies, meaning there is roughly one restaurant every two miles along the coast, so you’re never far from your dinner.
Blackpool rounded out the top three, with 84 chip shops in total. Given that the town is a much-trodden tourist destination, it’s good to know that no one will be going hungry on their trip to the seaside.
Of the top 10 areas, only two were not directly on a coast. Rossendale and Burnley, two unassuming local authorities in Lancashire, managed to secure seventh and ninth places respectively. Clearly, if you want high quality fish and chips – and a lot of them – you should make your way to the sea as soon as you can.
Here is the full list of the top ten places in the UK most densely populated with chippies, including how many of the restaurants they actually have:
- Scarborough – 93 (85.4 per 100,000 people)
- East Lindsey – 89 (62.3 per 100,000 people)
- Blackpool – 84 (59.6 per 100,000 people)
- Hastings – 54 (59.4 per 100,000 people)
- Great Yarmouth – 58 (57.9 per 100,000 people)
- Gwynedd – 67 (57.2 per 100,000 people)
- Rossendale – 34 (47.9 per 100,000 people)
- Torbay – 65 (46.6 per 100,000 people)
- Burnley – 43 (45.4 per 100,000 people)
- Hartlepool – 41 (44.3 per 100,000 people)
Fish and chips with Time Out
We at Time Out love a good chippy, too. Check out our picks for the best UK chip shops if you’re not in Scarborough but still fancy a cracking chippy, or have a read of Time Out’s specific guides to the fish and chip scenes in London and Brighton. Plus, you can see who triumphed at this year’s National Fish and Chip Awards.
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