YouTuber reveals favourite 'chippy' after UK tour

A man in black clothes and a black cap sits at a table outside eating fish and chips. A phone attacked to a tripod is on the table beside him. Image source, Stephen Peel
Image caption,

Stephen Peel visited dozens of shops on his tour of the country

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A YouTuber who has spent 15 months travelling across the UK to sample 120 fish and chip shops has told how his favourite turned out to be in a town just a short hop from home.

Stephen Peel said he began his delicious mission - named The Chippy Tour - to "support and promote the traditional fish and chip shop".

But after scouring the length and breadth of the country he decided - after a third visit - that his absolute number one was Green Lane Chippy in Leigh, Greater Manchester.

Proprietor Paul Georgiou, who runs the shop with his brother Andy, said it was a "great honour" to be praised by Mr Peel, who has amassed thousands of online followers.

Mr Georgiou said his shop had been around for "well over 100 years".

"There's customers in there who are 80, 90 years old who have been coming in since they were kids," he said.

"We do take a lot of care, we're very fussy in our products. We've got great staff and fantastic customers."

A huge piece of battered fish sits on top of a plate of chips on a table. A pea fritter is on another plate above it. Image source, Stephen Peel
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Traditional fish and chip shops are facing increased competition and costs

Mr Peel, of Warrington, Cheshire, who posts his reviews on Youtube, said he got the idea after becoming concerned by the decline of traditional fish and chip shops due to spiralling costs and competition.

He said he visits each shop incognito to ensure he gets the same service as anyone else, before filming his reviews somewhere nearby and rating each establishment out of five.

"The idea is to show fish and chips at different chippies, how they do it, their love for the meal," he told BBC Radio Manchester.

"When you actually get to start meeting the people, they really want to be the best. They have their own ideas about things like the batter and their cooking mediums.

"It's family-run usually, through generations sometimes. There's so much more that goes into these businesses."

A man wearing black clothes and a cap sits at a table outside holding a battered sausage. A cutlery holder next to him has the words 'Hip Hop Chip Shop' written on the front. Image source, Stephen Peel
Image caption,

Stephen Peel tries a sausage at the Hip Hop Chip Shop in Manchester

Mr Peel said he often ensures he also tries any other speciality dishes he spots on the menu.

"If they do their own pies or do their own things like deep fired Mars bars, I'm on it," he said.

A man's hand can be seen holding a chip with one hand and a container of chips with the other. The chips have herbs and cut up pieces of fresh chilli on them. Image source, Stephen Peel
Image caption,

Mr Peel tries to sample every shop's specialty dish

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