Favourite Family Chippy Awards

Holly Tree wins the 'Favourite Family Chippy 2011' award

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:42:00 +0100

Holly Tree Fish and Chips (Livesey, Blackburn), run by the Rose family, has been announced as the winner of the National Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy Awards 2011.

The Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy Awards were set up to recognise the hard work and commitment family run businesses put into making their livelihood a success. When deciding on the finalists, judges were particularly impressed with the strong family values coupled with their commitment to their trade and the surrounding community.

As a result of the Rose family being so proactive during the three weeks of campaigning, the competition saw over 4,000 votes come in from surrounding loyal customers. Their website hits in September trebled from those received in August, 17% of which were referred from Facebook.

As part of their prize the Rose family will receive £1,000 worth of experience vouchers, £1,000 donation to their chosen charity (Sadie’s Pot of Gold) and a year’s supply of Ben Shaws® drinks.

Winner and chip shop owner Michael Rose, explains the family’s delight at winning the award; “We are just astounded that out of all the families who entered these prestigious National awards a ‘proper’ local chippy from Blackburn, that we took on only 6 years ago, has gone and won! A bit of good news won’t go amiss in Blackburn at the moment!”.

Julie Rose added “we couldn’t have done it without the support of our wonderfully loyal customers and the help from the Ben Shaws® team. We are particularly proud of all who work with us at Holly Tree – they’ve worked tirelessly helping us attract the votes! It’s been a lot of hard work but we have had great fun campaigning to encourage our customers to vote for us – we’re on top of the world!”.

Judy Banks, Sadie’s mother, commented on behalf of the shop’s selected charity ‘Sadie’s Pot of Gold’ – “we’re so happy that Michael and Julie’s family have won – we’re very grateful for their ongoing support for Sadie’s fund. Many people will benefit from this prize money – this fund means so much to our whole family’’.

Ben Shaws® prides itself on good old-fashioned family values; this competition celebrates its history and the tradition of family-run businesses. Sundeep Gill of Ben Shaws® and judge of the awards explains; “throughout the competition Holly Tree has proved how invaluable small businesses are to their local community, they are the epitome of what Ben Shaws® stands for and we are proud to call them our winner for 2011. The Rose family not only contributes economically but also supports their local infrastructure through employment and dedication to deliver a high standard of quality, training and customer satisfaction. Their drive to become proactive members of the industry and application of previous retail experience to create a fine balance between efficient corporate cultures whilst maintaining a strong local heritage placed them as finalists and this now proves to be a winning formula”.

The Ben Shaws® range includes a number of old fashioned favourites, best enjoyed with fish and chips including Dandelion and Burdock, Cream Soda and Traditional Cloudy Lemonade.

The third and final Chippy Friday

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:54:00 +0100

In the penultimate week of campaigning for the Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy Awards, we ventured over rolling hills and foggy moors to the beautiful seaside town of Whitby (North Yorkshire). We were visiting the Fusco family, who run the Royal Fisheries – our third family chippy.

The day started with a meet and greet with the whole family, including a tour of their massive 70 seat restaurant that had just been finished this year ready for the busy summer rush of tourists. With a knock at the door the press call had started with photographs for the local paper, Whitby Gazette and interviews for North Yorkshire Radio.

Shortly following this, the task in hand was to take to the streets of Whitby. Here we encouraged local customers and tourists to vote for the Royal Fisheries to become this year’s Favourite Family Chippy.

Already famous within their locality, many people openly expressed their support of the local family business and had already voted. Some were looking for a place for lunch and voted once they had sampled the local delights. Most already knew that the Fusco family were in the running for the Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy Award but hadn’t got around to voting – so took the chance to vote and sample a Ben Shaws® beverage.

We finished the day on a high leaving the Fusco family with a queue of customers out the door, all keen to have their free can of Ben Shaws® with their chippy tea.

With only a few days left to vote, the final three chippies go head to head in the battle to become the next Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy for 2011. So get your votes in quick and let us know why your favourite family chippy should win this year – and remember, you could be in with a chance of winning an ipod!

The second Chippy Friday

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:26:00 +0100

On Friday 16th September, the Rose family welcomed us into ‘Holly Tree Fish & Chips’ in Livesey (Blackburn). For the second Ben Shaws® Chippy Friday, the day was already looking bright when customers started turning up from 11:30am to vote for their favourite family chippy to win the award.

Local press came down for a press call with the Rose family and their famous fish and chips, with the family portrait making it onto the front page of the Lancashire Telegraph. Michael Rose said “it’s like looking at a reflection of Tom Cruise” - we’ll let you make up your own mind on that one!

Following the photo shoot, the Ben Shaws® team encouraged customers to vote for their favourite family chippy and try a can of Ben Shaws®. They had their pick of cloudy lemonade, cream soda, bitter shandy or dandelion and burdock – which came out on top.

Heading into town, the team visited the local shopping centre The Mall in Blackburn where they met a lot of fans of the Holly Tree - all looking forward to their chippy tea that evening.

We spoke to one customer who comes all the way from Chorley, just to buy her and her husband their chippy tea every Friday night “I come over every Friday, their fish and chips are the best and they are so welcoming, definitely my Favourite Family Chippy!”.

So the battle is now in full swing and we’re on the East coast this coming Friday (23rd September) for the final Chippy Friday at the ‘Royal Fisheries’ in Whitby. If you haven’t already, make sure you vote for your Favourite Family Chippy here or in store.

…and in case you needed to find your way to pop in and say hi to the Rose family, their address is: Holly Tree Fish & Chips, 6 Pinewood, Holly Tree Village, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 5AD.

The first Chippy Friday

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:49:00 +0100

On Friday 9th September the Pearce family who run Weymouth based ‘Alf’s Fish & Chips’, took to the streets to campaign and invite their customers to vote for them to become the Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy for 2011.

The day kicked off with a tour of the chip shop with John Pearce, followed by a bacon sandwich and a lovely cup of tea to set us up for a fun day of campaigning!

Following this, we got to work straight away with a press call for the local Weymouth papers. The Pearce family, with their Family Chippy pinnies and caps on, gave interviews and had their photo taken whilst getting potatoes peeled and fish battered ready for the lunchtime rush.

The Ben Shaws® team then took to the local area and visited local businesses, spreading the word of the competition and letting people know how they can vote for Alf’s Fish & Chips in this year’s awards.

The Pearce family proved to already be extremely popular in their locality and were known for their work within the community. The team spoke to a lot of people who were already big fans of the family business and had already voted – they had a great response.

When we returned to the shop, we were greeted by over 150 school children who had come for their after school chips… and a can of Ben Shaws®, the favourite flavours being Cloudy Lemonade and Cream Soda.

We caught a word with some of their customers:
“They are such a gem within the local community; we’ve been coming here for years!” Dawn Davies, local community member. “John and Karen are well known in Weymouth, they look after us they do!”

You can vote for Alf’s online here and in store – their voting books are filling up so make sure you add your signature!

The next Chippy Friday is on 16th September and sees ‘Holly Tree’ (Blackburn) campaign to become the next Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy, following this the ‘Royal Fisheries’ will take to the streets of Whitby as part of their Chippy Friday on 23rd September.

Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy Finalists

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:58:00 +0100

We are proud to announce the three finalists who will compete in the Ben Shaws® Chippy Friday Finals.

The Favourite Family Chippy Judges; Thomas Pick Media Co-Ordinator from the National Federation of Fish Friers, Helen Edmonds Editor of Fry Magazine and Sundeep Gill Assistant Brand Manager at Cott Beverages, deliberated over entries which came in from all over the UK.

After looking for a family run chippy which demonstrated strong family values and success in their locality, they collectively decided on the final three chippies. Located across the UK the top three are;

Royal Fisheries Whitby, The Holly Tree Blackburn and Alf’s Fish and Chips Weymouth.

Sundeep Gill, Assistant Brand Manager of Cott Beverages explains;

“All three finalists are top quality fish and chip shops with strong family values. It was hard to choose between the high calibres of entries we had this year. We believe family run businesses are part of the makeup of the fish and chip industry and we are proud to be able to support them.”

Each ‘Chippy Friday Final’ gives the finalists a chance to campaign and encourage customers to vote for them in store and online. They will be handing out samples of their fish and chips as well as Ben Shaws® merchandise and product.

The first to take to the streets will be Alf’s Fish and Chips in Weymouth on Friday 9 September; the second will be The Holly Tree in Blackburn on 16 September and finally Royal Fisheries in Whitby on 23 September.

You can vote online here and in store.

Voting is now open and will close on Monday 3rd October; the winner will be announced on Friday 7th October.

Your Chance To Vote. Make a Chippy Happy!

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:32:19 +0100

Click the link below to vote for one of the three Favourite Family Chippy finalists.

Fill out the voting form!

Entries are now closed

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:31:43 +0100

Thank you to everyone who has entered their Chippy into the competition. We are now into voting for the winner from the three Finalists

Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy Judges

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:18:00 +0100

Today we are pleased to announce our Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy Judges for 2011.

During the judging process judges will be looking for an example of a family run business that has demonstrated strong family values and success in their locality. They’re particularly keen to understand what makes them a ‘cut above’ the rest and how working together as a family has helped their business succeed.

First up is Thomas Pick from the National Federation of Fish Friers, the official industry body that protects and promotes the fish frying industry.

He’ll be looking for a family chippy which goes the extra mile to make their customers feel welcome and has long standing family values.

Our second judge knows the ins and outs of the Fish and Chip business after writing about the trade for two years. We’re pleased to welcome Helen Edmonds, Editor of Fry Monthly, to the judging panel.

As Editor of FRY Monthly Magazine – which is the most widely distributed, talked about and read magazine in the fast food trade, Helen will be on the lookout for a chippy which is at the top of their game and provides examples of their work within their local community. The winner will feature in the November issue and online.

Finally our third judge is one to impress! Sundeep Gill, Assistant Brand Manager for Cott Beverages, knows this competition better than anyone. She has seen applicants come in from all over the UK and knows exactly what it takes to become the Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy.

She will be keeping a tight grip on the rules and regulations of the competition, making sure applications are genuine and have family values running through the core of the business.

Judges will gather in a central location to whittle down the chip shop entries creating the three finalists who will then prepare for ‘Chippy Fridays’ where they will battle it out on three different dates to become Britain’s Favourite Family Chippy. The public will decide the winner by voting in-shop or on this site.

Chippy Friday dates: 9th 16th and 23rd September

Winner announced: 7th October

Tips From The Top

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:14:00 +0100

Will it be the welcoming atmosphere? Your hard work and commitment? The work you do to support your local community? The nation is full of chippies on every corner, so what makes one stand out from the rest?

2010 winner Mark Corbally from Mr C’s shares some winning tips and tells us what the judges will be looking out for and what the nominees should be including in their entry forms;

● Strong family values and ties should come through in your entry

● You should show willingness to develop your family business

● Commitment to your trade is a must

● Be sure to include evidence of positive work within the community

● You should show evidence of how you look after loyal customers and encourage new customers into your chippy.

Mark said;

“During and after winning this competition, the publicity and support from Ben Shaws® we received was amazing. The local and national press and radio all gave us good coverage resulting in new customers from far and wide.”

“It also was a great moral booster to our staff. If you have a business with strong family ties I highly recommend you enter this competition.”

And what will you win?

Winners will receive a year’s worth of Ben Shaws® drinks, £1000 of experience vouchers and a £1000 donation to the charity of their choice.

Be quick though, deadline for entries is 26th August 2011!

Click here to enter your Chippy for the Award

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:53:15 +0100

Click here to enter your Chippy for the Award

A bit about Ben Shaws®...and his bath tub

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:17:53 +0100

Starting out as a small family business 140 years ago (phew!) we pride ourselves on good old fashioned family values.

We launched the Ben Shaws® Favourite Family Chippy Awards to provide small family businesses with a platform which recognises all their hard work.

The company was founded in 1871 in Huddersfield by Ben Shaw who began by bottling natural mineral water in his bath tub.

He then expanded into making soft drinks in his own, purpose-built factory, and distributed his drinks to various shops in the Yorkshire area with horses and a cart – using his family’s Shire horses Bonny, Blossom, Cherry and Dick. For many years Ben Shaws products came in glass bottles – allowing enterprising youngsters to earn pocket money by taking back empties – but nowadays all the products come in cans or plastic.

True to the Ben Shaws®’ family way, he would pay a shilling an hour to his grandchildren who would watch the bottles coming off the production line, checking for specks of dirt, making sure every bottle was perfect.

So through the years the Ben Shaws®’ legacy has continued and now has the opportunity to provide the essential support small businesses need, not only through the great prizes but also through the promotional coverage surrounding the campaign.

Welcome to the 2011 Awards

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:46:00 +0100

If you own your chippy, work alongside one or more members of your family, and are located in the UK, you can enter.

If you win you will recieve £1,000 of gift and experience vouchers to share among you and your family as well as £1,000 to donate to a registered community charity of your choice. You will also recieve a year’s supply of Ben Shaws® soft drinks.

Click Here To Enter Your Chippy For An Award

Click here for Terms & Conditions

Good luck!

Mr C’s. The Corbally Family. 2010 Winner!

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:36:45 +0100

Mr C’s. The Corbally Family.

2010 Winner!

Corner Chippy. The Bentley Family 2010 Runner up!

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:35:14 +0100

Corner Chippy. The Bentley Family

2010 Runner up!

Be My Chip. The Fantis Family 2010 Runner Up!

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 11:34:20 +0100

Be My Chip. The Fantis Family

2010 Runner Up!