Grimsby chippy claims Britain's cheapest fish supper

Mr Mathews said he could keep prices low because he owns his own fish supply business and smokes his own haddock

The cheapest fish supper in Britain is being served up in Grimsby, it has been claimed.

Stan Mathews, 56, who owns Mathews Chippy in Stanley Street, charges £3 for haddock and chips, a third of the UK average price of £9.

Mr Mathews said his shop was in one of the most deprived areas of the town, where many "struggle to put food on the table".

His prices meant people "eat a meal at a price they can afford", he said.

Mr Mathews said he was happy to pass on the savings he achieved to his customers

Alongside his chip shop Mr Mathews runs his own fish supply business, which he said helped him keep his prices low.

"I smoke my own haddock, so I can keep my overheads down," he said.

"Other chippy owners in the area also try to charge a low price, there's some charging £3.50, another at £3.75, but I reckon mine must be the cheapest in Britain, or certainly one of them.

"It's good they're trying to keep their prices low too, but they can't offer the same deals as me because they have to buy their fish from suppliers."

Mr Mathews said people in the area had struggled "more and more" in recent years.

"Mortgages have doubled. Food's gone up. Fuel's gone up - even people from out of the area sometimes make the trip, just to make a bit of a saving," he said.

"My deal is £3 for fish and chips with either mushy peas or gravy, there's no profit in that."

The cost-of-living crisis is affecting the whole country, and the hardest hit are the poorest, Mr Mathews said

In March the price of takeaways rose by 13% in the UK and fish and chip meals saw the highest increase of 19%, representing a rise of about £1.44 to £9 on average for one portion, the Office for National Statistics said.

The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) said the price rise had nothing to do with profiteering.

Factors including the cost-of-living crisis meant outlets were raising prices in order to survive, the NFFF said.