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Battered // August 2016
THE RELAUNCH EDITION TO MAKE US NO.1 AGAIN!!
INDUSTRY NEWS
SIMPLY FISH
NFFF NI TRAINING
FISH SHOP FACTS
TAKING OFF AGAIN WITH McWHINNEY’S QUALITY SAUSAGES! When it comes to Quality Pork Sausages, McWhinney’s fly higher than the rest!
Visit us at www.mcwhinneys.com
Quality Pork Sausages
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August 2016 // Battered
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Battered // August 2016
bATTERED
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Food Alergies
August 2016
SIMPLY FISH
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From the editors desk Welcome to the relaunch issue of Battered Magazine.
NATIONAL CHIP SHOP AWARDS
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NFFF TRAINING
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Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the advertisers who have shown foresight in backing this rebirth publication, and having faith in us to move forward in the industry. Without you - no-one would be holding this fantastic trade publication in their hands. If you have any comments about any of the articles, please email me. I’d love to hear from you! And please take the time to look at our news section containing all the latest updates to benefit your business. Also featured in this issue we chat with Alan Hanna about NFFF training courses which are now more accessible to chip shops in Northern Ireland. We also enter the new, stylish premises of Simply Fish in Lisburn where we get an insight into what keeps the staff frying from
Also Inside... 4
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18 McDonald’s Flops / Tops
Battered News
13 Hygiene Scores Info
24 World Record Food
16 Chip Shops across UK
10 Subscription Form
our people
DEADLIEST CATCH
proprietor Liam Conlon. The Alaskan fishing fleet of Deadliest Catch has reported that, for the first time, no one died while commercial fishing in a vessel-related incident in the past year. Previously, between 1980 and 1988, an average of 31 fishermen died in Alaska each year. We give you the latest reports from the fleet. As the so called summer is here… everyone at Battered Magazine wishes you a great, sizzling season. We thank you for reading and look forward to increasing our readership and growing our relationship with you in the coming months. Kind Regards Jenny O’Kane
Publisher Jennifer O’Kane Publishing Unit 1, Langford Business Centre 44, Largy Road, Crumlin. Co. Antrim. BT29 4RN Tel: 07933 983540
Editor Jennifer O’Kane Journalists Tina Calder Jessikah Hope Stenson Jonathan Traynor Chris Coleman Robin Elliott
Sales Executive Felicia Morris Bronagh O’Kane Andrew Benson Graphic Design Battered Magazine
Views expressed in Battered Magazine are writers own and don’t necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Content remains the copyright of the publisher unless prior permission has been granted. All details are correct at time of going to press however subject to change.
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NEWS
August 2016 // Battered
FISH & CHIPS IS TOP GOING FOR A TAKEAWAY IN NEW SONG: SURVEY VAL D’ORO
CUSTOMERS at Val D’Oro get some soprano with their supper thanks to owner Luigi Corvi. The talented opera singer treats his customers to a range of Pavarotti-style hits while serving up their fish teas. “The music, the singing, takes me away from my day-to-day
Fish and chips is up there as the UK’s favourite takeaway, according to a new survey. The research, carried out by web-based survey solutions SurveyMonkey into what unites the UK public and what makes them truly British, reveals that fish and chips is the takeaway of choice for just over a quarter of respondents (26%). A fish supper does share the top spot with curry, which also pulled in 26% of the votes, followed by Chinese at 24%. However, the survey also reveals that youngsters 29 and under prefer pizza. Over 12,000 Brits took part in The Big Ask survey devised from questions submitted by the general public and which covered a raft of popular culture www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
issues. Highlights from the results include: • 60% of Brits say their lives are better than their parents’ generation.
life in the shop,” said Luigi. “It lets me be somewhere, and someone, else. I loved opera as a boy and my parents Peter and Anna-Maria took the family to festivals in Italy when we were young. We met an elderly Italian opera singer and she got me started.”
FIZZ AND CHIPS: TAILEND, ST ANDREWS
• Topping the list of favourite UK holiday destinations is Cornwall (23%), closely followed by The Scottish Highlands (18%) and The Lake District (17%). • Scotland was the clear winner when it came to those who most enjoy a tipple with 42%, while second place went to the North East at 20%. • When it comes to accents the Queen’s English is regarded as being the UK’s sexiest, winning with 22%. • The majority of Brits are hoping for a Clinton victory in the US presidential elections with only 23% backing Trump.
SCOTLAND’S poshest chippy is probably The Tailend in Fife, where one can order a fish supper… with champagne. The haddock is grilled with a little olive oil, seasoning and homemade pesto although there is grilled salmon if you’re wanting something a bit classier. “You can order champagne
to go with your fish,” said manager Jessica Spinks. “Our sommelier has carefully selected our wine list. Prosecco isn’t just for before the meal it can really lift a haddock supper.” As an extra, you can order a hot smoked salmon with horseradish and creme fraiche as well as a traditional pickled onion!
NEWS
Battered // August 2016
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TWO-THIRDS OF CUSTOMERS PUT OFF BY POOR FOOD HYGIENE Restaurants with low food hygiene ratings are risking their survival, with 61% of consumers saying they’ll boycott such establishments, according to research from food safety technology company Checkit. This means 18,379 restaurants, takeaways, sandwich/coffee shops, hotels and pubs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are at risk, as they currently have a Food
MCDONALD’S ‘WALK-THRU’ FOR DRUNK CUSTOMERS
Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating of two or below. The study found that London is the city with the largest number of food businesses at risk (5,092), while Birmingham has the highest percentage (17%) of restaurants scoring two or below. It is followed by Leicester (14%), London (14%) and Manchester (11%). Overall, 7% of cafes, canteens, restaurants, mobile caterers, pubs, takeaways, sandwich shops and hotels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland fail to meet the hygiene standards that consumers demand. Across the UK, takeaways and sandwich shops are the sector in most danger of being shunned by diners, with 14% of them having a food hygiene rating of two or below. Also in the Checkit research,
Many times we’ve seen folks go through into the McDonald’s drive-thru line inebriated. Though usually they’re in the backseat screaming their orders into the speaker while their sober friends sit at the drivers seat incredibly annoyed. At least they didn’t get behind the wheel. What if you were drunk, craving McDonald’s, but didn’t have an empathic friend to cart you around? McDonald’s in the United Kingdom has a solution for just that. According to The Sun, a McDonald’s location in Wales dedicates a drive-thru lane specifically for customers to walk up to and order their food without having to drive a car. McDonald’s has renovated most of their stores to feature two parallel drive-thru lanes to increase sales time. So there would still be one lane open for cars while the other is open to foot traffic. This feature is only open from the hours of 2am through 4am during the weekends, typically when people finish partying and are looking for a bite to eat. It was an immediate success and the franchise decided to keep it as a permanent feature at that location. They might just have to figure out a way to be careful of drunk people ordering next to moving vehicles so late at night.
three quarters (75%) of consumers said they wouldn’t risk dining at a restaurant that had been implicated in a food hygiene incident, even if recommended by someone that they trust. Just 16% cited slow or poor service and 32% said rude or unhelpful staff would stop them coming back to a restaurant. “The food business is incredibly competitive, with nearly 60% of restaurants failing in their first three years of operation,” said David Davies, managing director, Checkit. “Our research shows that good food hygiene is the number one factor in where diners choose to eat – and that they simply won’t return to places where there has been a food hygiene incident. Yet our analysis finds that nearly 20,000 restaurants require improvement to meet basic Food Standards Agency standards. Owners of food businesses are risking their revenues and survival, as well as the health of their customers, by not taking hygiene seriously.
SWITCHING ENERGY SUPPLIERS CAN SAVE YOU £1,422 A YEAR... Research by global research agency Northstar, on behalf of EnergyScanner, found that small businesses in the UK spend on average around £2,367 on their energy bills per year, but around one-third haven’t checked whether they’re getting a good deal. The same research reveals how small business owners can save an average of £1,422 a year by reviewing and switching their energy supply, which could equate to 129 sacks of potatoes. Nick Dwan, strategy & marketing director at Energy-Scanner, comments: “Energy is one cost that businesses have to endure but it’s also a cost that, with the right information available and the means to do so, can be controlled and managed so that it doesn’t eat into your profits.
“Take a fish & chip shop, for example. Running the fryer, the fridges, the lighting, the potato chipper and the heaters every day of the week, really puts pressure on the energy overheads and if you’re a fish & chip shop owner on the wrong energy contract it could inflate the price you pay for your energy even further.” With electricity and gas essential to the fish and chip industry, Nick advises fish and chip shops to regularly review their supply and, if needed, switch their energy supply. “It should be a process that businesses go through once a year and needs to become as important as filing a tax return, to ensure they are always getting the best possible deal and cutting down on essential overheads.” www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
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NEWS
August 2016 // Battered
RESTAURANT LAUNCHES WITH IRN-BRU FISH AND CHIPS and tartare sauce priced at £7.95. As well as adding Irn-Bru to the batter, the fish is marinaded in the fizzy orange liquid for two days to ensure it absorbs maximum flavour. Darren Mitchell, sales executive at the Lorne Hotel, comments: “The idea behind the new restaurant is to serve old traditional dishes wth a modern twist, so we sat down with the chef and the sales team to think of some new dishes.
A new restaurant is opening in Glasgow next month serving Irn-Bru battered fish and chips.
Birdtree and Bellfish, a 78 seater restaurant at the Lorne Hotel in Sauchiehall Street, opens on Saturday 27th August serving traditional Scottish food with a twist. Alongside baby black pudding and haggis, neeps and tatties, the Express Lunch menu offers Irn-Bru battered fish served with caramelised silverskin onions, mushy peas
FRANKIE’S REWARDED AGAIN... Frankie’s Fish & Chips has scored top marks for its sustainable fish and fair trade buying policies from the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). Already awarded No.1 Fish & Chip Shop in the UK in the National Fish & Chip Awards (2015), Battered wanted to reveal what makes this chip shop one of the best in its market... The takeaway and restaurant in Brae, Shetland, retained its maximum Three Star Food Made Good rating from the SRA, “an exceptional achievement”, according to the association. Frankie’s 100 per cent scores in both the sustainable fish and fair trade categories were highlighted in the Food Made Good report. “This is attributed to Frankie’s www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
Fish & Chips ensuring that 98% of the fish on its menu are MSC certified, ensuring that its suppliers are aware of its fish buying policy, and for sourcing coffee, tea, chocolate and sugar that is produced to standards that incorporate fair trade criteria,” the assessment says.
“With Irn-Bru being a traditional Scottish drink we thought why not try it, so we did and we really enjoyed it. It is a very different taste, but strangely it works.” Diners can add a second course for an extra £1 with the dessert menu including another fish and chip shop favourite, a deep fried Mars Bar whic it serves with rum and raisin ice cream.
A TASTE OF THE U.S. IS GETTING BIG IN THE UK
celery salt, pepper and paprika for a true flavour of America. Providing an easy upgrade of current dishes, it can be added before, during and after cooking enabling friers to inject extra flavour to seafood, chicken, vegetables, meats, dipping sauces and dressings.
“The SRA also commends Frankie’s Fish & Chips for purchasing vegetables from British farms.” Frankie’s manager Carlyn Kearney said: “Ninety-eight per cent of the fish we sell comes from sustainable stocks, with our haddock, mussels, scallops and crab all MSC-accredited.” Meanwhile, Frankie’s has also retained its Taste Our Best award from the national tourism body VisitScotland in recognition of its promotion of local food produce.
With the trend for Americana exploding in UK restaurants, McCormick’s has launched Old Bay Seasoning into foodservice. The seasoning, which originated in Maryland USA 77 years ago, comprises
Available in 280g jars, the seasoning can help outlets stand out from the crowd by mentioning Old Bay on the menu. Fans of Old Bay Seasoning are growing with around 50 million ounces sold last year. www.mccormickfs.co.uk
NEWS
Battered // August 2016
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CRUMLIN ROAD THE UK GAOL OPENS NEW DEMANDS MORE RESTAURANT FISH & CHIPS
Kieran Quinn, Kevin Quinn and Phelim Devlin, Directors of Crumlin Road Gaol with the Lord Mayor of Belfast Brian Kingston and North Belfast MLA’s Nelson McCausland and Gerry Kelly.
A new restaurant was opened at the iconic Crumlin Road Gaol recently. The team behind the tourist attraction welcomed special guests to celebrate the official opening of their brand new licenced restaurant, Cuff Bar & Grill. The official welcome was performed by the Director of Strategic Planning Division at Department for Infrastructure, Carol Ramsey, who said the restaurant was a welcome addition to the popular tourist attraction and North Belfast. The new restaurant, which created 30 jobs, opened to the public at the beginning of July following a £350,000 investment from the award-winning Belfast Tourist Attraction & Conference Centre. It is the latest establishment to boost Belfast’s blossoming restaurant scene and a welcome addition to the North Belfast hospitality industry. Around 80 invited guests including the Lord Mayor of Belfast Brian Kingston, Broadcaster Adrian Logan and North Belfast MLA’s Gerry Kelly and Nelson McCausland enjoyed dishes from the restaurant’s menu, prepared by head chef
Damien Blaney and his team. Damien has worked in several top renowned restaurants around the world including Switzerland, the West Indies and more recently Deane’s in Belfast. “We want to put a spin on Northern Ireland with all our menus” said Damien. “All our ingredients are fresh and sourced locally; we have so much on our doorstep. We have a good relationship with small independent suppliers such as Ewings, Belfast’s oldest fishmongers and local chicken producers, Rockvale.” Kieran Quinn, Managing Director of Crumlin Road Gaol said: “Crumlin Road Gaol is the ideal location for Cuff Bar & Grill, that we hope will become a friendly face for locals and visitors alike”. The opening of ‘Cuffs Bar & Grill’ is taking place in the Tourism NI’s year of food and drink, 2016, which is celebrating the quality and creativity in our food and drink industry. For more information contact 028 9075 5822 or cuffsgrillbar@ crumlinroadgaol.com
Since leaving the EU one change has occurred which no one expected. The nation has decided it loves fish and chips even more than it is already believed. In fact, 2016 has seen a rise of 26% in the number of fish and chip sales. While some argue that the recent rise in sales is due to a surge of patriotism, it is actually thought to be the growing availability of posh fish and TV chefs making seafood a more popular option. Now, many places are offering new choices on the menu such as monkfish, lemon sole and even sharks. Consumer King found a 21% rise in sales for shops which stock squid, monkfish and lemon sole and it is these species which celebrity chefs and TV shows such as MasterChef and Come Dine
With Me have made famous. Andrea Draper from Consumer King said: “Many more fish and chip shop owners are moving with the times, customers want to taste fish that would normally be the preserve of the rich and famous. “Celebrity chefs such as Gordon Ramsey and Rick Stein have made seafood very popular. Seafood is going through a purple patch. Fish and chip shop owners realise this and so are responding to consumer demand. “Even though cod and haddock are still the best sellers, we expect more fish and chip shops to start stocking shell food and exotic species of fish in the coming years.”
THE NEW WAY OF PAYING USING ZAPPER APP
In a new faster way of paying for your meal, customers can now download the Zapper app, scan the QR code on their bill and pay securely using the card details stored on their phone. Users receive the option of leaving a tip, splitting the bill and reviewing restaurants. For extra security, the app can be locked with a personalised passcode. The move has come after a study was released showing that the average person checks their mobile phone up to 85 times per day. With this in mind, restaurants are
making the move to cut back on operational costs and taking steps towards making their payment systems more suited to their customers. The app aims to help restaurants receive and respond to feedback whilst also providing a quick and safe way for customers to pay for their meals. As the app tracks the dining habits of its users, restaurants will be able to respond to their customers in a more effective way. The app is active in over 1,000 restaurants and growing across the UK from small cafes to fine dining and independent businesses.
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NEWS
August 2016 // Battered
BEEF UP YOUR BRAND
WHETHER you are a chippie owner, a café or restaurant it’s time to take your brand seriously, and it is not just the name of your outlet that needs beefing up. Earlier in the year there was much furore when Tescos launched a series of so-called fake farm brands for a number of ranges. Produce may have come from as far afield as Morocco, but they were branded with English sounding names. Despite the controversy sales of the newly branded foods grew in line with the mammoth retailers expectations.
The use of clever marketing is something that the smallest to the largest food stuffs can use to boost reputation and increase foot fall. Writer and PR consultant, Jonathan Traynor, said it is important to think about many aspects of the brand. “We’re all familiar with the clever word play many fish and chips shops use in their names, but too few think what their brand means,” he said. “Customer service is one aspect of that, but there are many other things that can be deployed.”
ARE THE DAYS OF POLYSTYRENE PACKAGING NUMBERED? WITH all parts of the UK now charging for carrier bags there has been a significant reduction in the number of single use plastic bags, but environmentalists are now calling for further action. The Marine Conservation Society wants fast food polystyrene packaging to be banned. More than 100 European and North American cities have already outlawed – or plan to – the use of what is described as ‘non-compostible food packaging’. The environmental concern is that the polystyrene can break www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
Traynor said that even where the food is sourced can be an opportunity. “Tescos made a virtue of English sounding farm names, but given that most fast food outlets here use local produce owners can make a virtue of using Northern Ireland suppliers. “If you get your potatoes from a single farm or supplier let your customers know – even partner with your supplier to put their brand name in your shop. Tell your staff about it, and make sure they can assure customers that the grub they’re about to eat is from Northern Ireland.” He also said that as many fast food outlets are community hubs this can be a potent marketing tool. “Here in Northern Ireland we are a giving people as shown by how much person for person we contribute to Comic Relief and other charitable causes,” he said. “Most fast food staff and owners know what causes need to be championing. “Rather than just stick a charity box on the counter, partner with the charity by launching a special meal deal, a proportion of its profits going to the charity, and give volunteers the chance to spend time in your shop explaining their cause.”
SIMPLY FRESH TO OPEN OUTLET IN NI
down into particles in the seas, releasing toxins and can also attract other toxic chemicals to the surface of the ocean. With many chain fast food outlets already offering cardboard packaging Northern Ireland chippies, restaurants and cafes may need to prepare for a non-polystyrene future. Rather than wait for the legislation, many may decide to make a feature of being a ‘greener’ outlet.
THE Simply Fresh group is planning to open one of its ‘Kitchen’ food-to-go outlets in Northern Ireland in the near future. The stores offer is based on healthy eating, with options including ‘Hot Boxes’, self
serve salad bars and a range of smoothies. Simply Fresh has said that there recent Kitchen openings have been very successful, with one university store having to restock up to three times a day.
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Battered // August 2016
GILFRESH TAKES BACK THE POWER WITH £2.5M INVESTMENT
Pictured (l-r) are Richard Stack, corporate banking manager at Danske Bank, William Gilpin, partner at Gilfresh Produce and Thomas Gilpin, owner of Gilfresh Produce.
Vegetable processor Gilfresh Produce has invested more than £2.5m in a new system which will address and tackle its rising energy costs. The investment was supported by Danske Bank. The company has installed an anaerobic digester which will see 120 tonnes per week of waste vegetables being used to generate enough energy to power the factory. All excess energy will be sold back to the grid. Gilfresh Produce is a family run company based in Loughgall in County Armagh, established by the Gilpin Family over 50 years ago. In the beginning the family grew cabbages and scallions for the Belfast market. Now in its third generation, the business employs 130 staff, manages the growing of over 2,500 acres of field vegetables and salad crops and supplies all major supermarket chains. The anaerobic digester will allow the business to be self-sufficient energy producers at a time when rising costs are putting pressure on companies across Northern Ireland.
William Gilpin, partner at Gilfresh Produce said: “Four years ago we realised that we could utilise our waste products in a more efficient way. At that point we were selling waste vegetables to farmers for feed at a very low margin. The business was facing several pressures including increasing energy costs, poor weather and challenging trading conditions. We travelled to a few sites in Europe to see how anaerobic digesters could work for us and we saw that it would complement and enhance our business operations.” Richard Stack, corporate banking manager at Danske Bank said: “Gilfresh is a very innovative business and the Gilpin family are continuously seeking improvements and solutions which will make their operations more efficient and sustainable. We understand that rising energy costs are presenting a significant threat to many agricultural businesses in the region and we have been pleased to support Gilfresh with an investment to address this issue head on.”
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COCA-COLA CO APOLOGISES OVER SPRITE ADS The Coca-Cola Co has issued an apology over online adverts for its Sprite brand, which formed part of the Brutally Refreshing campaign in Ireland. The ad, which featured on Irish website Joe.ie included the lines “She’s seen more ceilings than Michelangelo” and “You’re not popular, you’re easy”, with the hashtag #BrutallyRefreshing. Following a backlash on social media, the editor of Joe.ie, Paddy McKenna, told the BBC that the ads were not in line with the site’s brand values. He said they had been removed.
spokesperson told justdrinks: “We apologise for any offence caused by the #BrutallyRefreshing Sprite campaign in Ireland, and we have removed the advert in question. “We strive to deliver the highest standards of advertising, and we recognise that on this occasion the content did not meet our, or our consumers’, expectations. The campaign has now ended, and the advert will not appear again.” Late last month, the CocaCola Co reported a 6% lift in net profits for the six months to the end of June.
Meanwhile, a Coca-Cola
SALT AND (SORT OF) VINEGAR…
THE internet has come alive with stories of UK fish and chip emporiums not providing ‘real’ vinegar after a YouTube video claiming many shops are serving a vinegar substitute.
isn’t brewed from alcohol it is halal, can be produced in gluten free versions and…it’s cheaper.
Some shops are using a condiment made up of water, ethanoic acid, colourings and flavourings. Because it
But would you be able tell the difference? Watch the controversial video by visiting: https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=642x2Y3Zla0
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August 2016 // Battered
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NEWS
Battered // August 2016
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‘FISH CITY’ IS THE PLAICE TO BE! and focus on developing what we have to offer. We are the first fish & chip shop in the United Kingdom to be invited to become a corporate member of the Marine Conservation Society.”
‘Fish City’ in Belfast, is Northern Ireland’s newest offering to the fish and chip industry with a very unique selling point. It focuses on seafood sustainability and traceability, including environmental issues relating to our coastline. Unlike their competitors, ‘Fish City’ already have a number of national and international accolades to their belt including professional memberships and awards.
The Marine Conservation Society is just one of the many agencies supporting Fish City stating, “MCS is delighted to receive Fish City’s support through Company Membership. We have been impressed with their commitment to serving sustainable seafood, which is so important to the health of our global fish stocks. They have been working closely with MCS and our Good Fish Guide to develop a new sustainable seafood policy, and we wish them all the very best at the new location in the heart of Belfast.” Sanjay Mitra, Corporate Partnerships Manager.
Located next to Victoria Square opposite Pottingers Entry in Ann Street, John Lavery of Fish City stated, “we have taken a unique perspective on the industry
John continued, “We work hard to perfect what we deliver and are the first fish & chip shop in Northern Ireland to have received a silver in Green Tourism and Investors in
People. An additional achievement, was representing our industry and country in becoming the ‘healthiest fish & chip shop’ in Northern Ireland. This fact was endorsed in 2015, as we were awarded one of the top three in the ‘UK Healthy Eating Award’, sponsored by Seafish at the National Fish and Chip Awards. No other fish & chip shop or restaurant in Northern Ireland has achieved these accolades. Our food speaks for itself.” “We are proud supporters of local, seasonal and sustainable produce. This is an amazing opportunity as we have strived to take fish & chips that one step further.” Fish City offers a unique experience both in its food and décor with a new contemporary design to its premises. For more information about Fish City and how it’s the ‘plaice’ to be, go to www. fish-city.com to keep up to date with new information about their unique menus and offerings.
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August 2016 // Battered
Fish&Chips No.1 Barclaycard uncovers the nation’s ultimate shopping list, with fish and chips voted as the UK’s number one British buy...
The way to Brits’ hearts really is through their stomachs Barclaycard reveals results of The Great British Shopping Showdown and finds food and drink dominate our top ten British buys. Fish and chips claims top spot followed by Sunday roasts and a cup of tea. Yet Northern cities, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle bucked the national trend and opted for the Sunday roast over the seaside favourite Sheffield has country’s sweetest tooth with only sugary treats featuring in their top ten shopping items Most popular non-food items were umbrellas, wellies and picnic hampers. Launched for Barclaycard’s 50th anniversary, the interactive Great British Shopping Showdown enabled participants to battle it out over the nation’s ultimate shopping list in a series of ‘Tinder-style’ battles. The results from almost a quarter of a million votes show just how much Brits love their comfort foods with the top ten completely overtaken by food and drink. The top ten shopping items in the Great British Shopping Showdown were: 1. Fish and chips 2. Sunday Roast 3. Tea 4. Fry-ups 5. Scones 6. Strawberries & cream 7. Victoria Sponge 8. Chip Butties 9. Crumpets 10. 99 Ice creams Fish and chips was the catch of the day - the fact that there are over 10,500 specialist fish and chip shops in the UK is testament to the popularity of this takeaway treat. The British public consumes 382 million portions of fish and chips each year and annual spend www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
reaches £1.2 billion.” Taking second spot was the Sunday roast, and while several northern cities including Liverpool, Sheffield and Newcastle-uponTyne put the family favourite above fish and chips as their number one item, they were outvoted by the rest of the country. Most Brits have a sweet tooth, and this is particularly true in Sheffield, whose top ten shopping list featured apple crumble, Victoria sponge, chocolate bars, scones and strawberries and cream. Tea was another clear shopping icon for Brits, taking the 2nd or 3rdspot in most cities apart from Birmingham. Brummies voted for the Sunday Roast, fish and chips, strawberries and cream, Victoria sponge and fry-ups ahead of our staple hot drink. Birmingham’s top 20 also featured spotted dick, marmalade, pork pies, and cheese.
seen many trends come and go in this time, the Great British Shopping Showdown results show that some British favourites are firmly set to stay. While our love of food remains a national obsession we also enjoyed seeing that umbrellas and wellies were so high up the list – it’s not surprising that we Brits are always prepared for a downpour!”
Fish n’ Chips
Aside from our favourite foods, the top non-related food items on the nation’s ultimate shopping list were picnic hampers, Wellington boots and umbrellas – which goes to show that our fascination the British weather also rings true when it comes to our shopping behaviour. Professor Isabelle Szmigin, consumer behaviour expert, Birmingham Business School said: “What is so interesting about the top three itemsin the Great British Shopping Showdown is that they represent different and enduring aspects of British life. Fish and chips are Britain’s archetypal fast food that everyone can enjoy. The Sunday roast represents our social life when family and friends get together at the weekend.Finally tea is our all-time comfort drink; whether we have had a hard day at work or want a gossip with friends, tea provides the perfect accompaniment.”
Chip Buttie
No.8
Tea
No.3
Katherine Whitton, Chief Marketing Officer for Barclaycard, said: “Shopping has long been a favourite pastime of the British public so it was encouraging to see almost a quarter of a million people get behind this national digital debate. As a nation of foodies, this top ten 10 list proves once and for all that the way to our hearts really is through our stomachs.” “Barclaycard has been helping people buy and sell for the last 50 years and while we’ve
No.1
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Battered // August 2016
How To Get A Good Food Hygiene Score Whilst it is not a legal requirement either for Local Authorities or food proprietors to publicise the results of food hygiene inspections, there is an increasing public demand for this type of information. Of the local authorities that have undertaken to provide such information, some have chosen to provide full details of their inspection reports, and others just provide a summary of the risk scores carried out in fulfilment of the requirements of Annex 5 of the Food Law Code of Practice. Belfast City Council chose to implement a system based on the Food Standards Agencies risk rating system contained in Annex 5 of the Food law Code of practice, linked with an Eatsafe award scheme. The individual scores and star awards for each premises will be posted on an Internet web site and food business operators will be given a certificate and/or window sticker which they may display on their premises. For Northern Ireland ‘The Eat Safe’ award has been in operation since June 2003. It is administered by local council Environmental Health Services (EHS) in conjunction with the Food Standards Agency . The main aim of the scheme is to provide an incentive to caterers to strive for food hygiene and food safety management standards beyond those required by law. It will also help consumers make informed choices about where to eat out by providing a recognisable ‘sign’ of excellence in standards of food hygiene.
Eligible establishments are assessed for the award as part of scheduled food hygiene inspections carried out by EHS and the issuing and control of the Eat Safe award certificates is handled by local authorities. In Northern Ireland the award is limited to catering operations to which the public has access, including hotels, restaurants, cafes, pubs serving food, takeaways, coffee shops, instore restaurants, most hospital canteens, some workplace restaurants (with public access) and catering college restaurants. For more information visit www.eatsafe.gov.uk The score bands for the star awards will be as follows: Award Points Definition 5 Stars 0 - 5 Excellent 4 Stars 10 - 15 Very Good 3 Stars 20 - 25 Good 2 Stars 30 - 35 Fair 1 Star 40 - 45 Poor No stars > 45 points Major improvements required These scores will only be assessed at the time of the primary inspection which will normally be unannounced and may be carried out at any time that the business is open for trading. This is the score that will be publicised on the Internet. No subsequent visits will be undertaken with a view to modifying the scores
given, or re-scoring premises even if remedial works have been completed. The score will stand until the next primary inspection is carried out. However, if a business changes hands or substantially changes their operation the local authority may choose to inspect the premises after a food premises registration form has been submitted.
To Help Gain A Good Food Hygiene Score You Will Need:
Confidence in management / control procedures This takes into account whether or not the food business has produced and implemented a documented food safety management system (i.e. HACCP or Safer Food Better Business). Consideration will also be given to any associated monitoring records, whether the system has undergone review to ensure its accuracy and whether monitoring practices are verified (e.g. probe thermometer calibration checks to ensure accuracy). Food hygiene and safety procedures This takes into account how hygienically food is handled, the use of good food safety practices (for example stock rotation, storage of food to preclude the risk of contamination etc.) and temperature control.
Food premises structure This takes into account the design, layout and construction of the food premises and also includes the structural repair and cleanliness in which the premises is maintained. The provision of lighting, ventilation, drainage and washing facilities are also incorporated in this requirement. You are reminded that it is essential to food safety that food businesses are kept in a well-maintained and clean condition. You will be given one of 6 ratings. Level 5 means that you have received a very good level of compliance with legal requirements, whilst level 0 indicates that urgent improvement is necessary. Any business, no matter how small should be able to achieve the top rating of 5. Ratings for all businesses included in the scheme will be published on a national website which will be accessible to the public, and you will be encouraged to display your rating at the premises. What Happens If You Want To Appeal? If you consider that the score given by the ‘inspecting officer’ is unjust, you may appeal this with the local authority’s Lead Officer for Food safety in writing within 14 days of receiving your rating. Remember – Good food hygiene means a good rating and a good rating is good for your business. www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
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August 2016 // Battered
CHIP SHOP GUIDE TO Have you got your PRS Licence? Music can be especially effective when used in a chip shop environment. At quieter times of the day, it may be used to mask conversation, and on some occasions it can be used to influence the price people are prepared to spend in your establishment. What does PRS do? PRS (Performing Right Society) is a not-for-profit collecting society that has been formed by copyright owners (composers, songwriters and music publishers) to license their music and to collect and distribute the subsequent royalties. When do you need a PRS licence? Whenever a piece of music is broadcast or performed publicly (PRS). How much does it cost? The rates in this section vary depending on where you want to play music, the size of your venue and the type and frequency of the performances. You can have the music piped into a restaurant or bar area, the choice is yours and it can cost from as little as 27 pence per day. What’s the difference between MCPS and PRS? MCPS is a not-for-profit organisation, which collects and distributes royalties for its composer and publisher members whenever a piece of music is copied or that copy is issued to the public. PRS is a not-for-profit organisation, which collects and distributes public performance royalties for its composers, songwriters and music publishers. What constitutes a public performance? Any performance of copyright music, whether live or recorded, that takes place outside the home is regarded as a public performance and will usually require a licence from PRS. Licences are usually issued to the owner of the premises where the music is being performed. How does PRS process royalties? PRS collect a licence fee, assembles information about the use of music in the UK (see survey data in Facts & Figures) and pays royalties to the relevant parties. Why would you need a music licence? If you play music in your business you will need to obtain PRS. It doesn’t matter how little music you play or use, or where you play it, you still need to obtain clearance. Please call 0800 068 4828 (if you run a business) or 0345 300 6033 (if you run live events or venues) to speak to our team so that we can ensure we’re providing the best value for you. Lines are open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
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Clearance ensures that the music use is authorised and the relevant copyright owners (songwriter, publisher, record company or artist) receive royalties for the use of their music. What happens if people don’t pay their licence fees? If licence fees aren’t paid, PRS can take legal action. Everyone who is considering using music is encouraged to contact PRS beforehand to arrange the appropriate licence. PRS can talk to you about your responsibilites and the costs involved so you can build these into any business plan.
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Battered // August 2016
TAKEAWAY INNOVATION EXPO exhibition and conference designed specifically to help takeaway owners run their businesses better, meet other like-minded professionals to share ideas, and develop professional knowledge. Bringing together, networking, workshops and insightful seminars, the event offers a unique opportunity for restaurateurs and takeaway owners like you to obtain the latest tools, techniques, and advice within an ever-changing industry.
27TH & 28TH SEPTEMBER 2016, ExCeL LONDON Takeaway Innovation Expo is The UK’s Only Exhibition For Growing Your Takeaway Or Restaurant Business. Takeaway Innovation Expo is THE event to help you boost profits, build your brand, grow your business, and much more! The Next Event Is On 27th-28th September, 2016 At ExCeL London, And Will Play Host To: 150 Free Seminars 300 Exhibiting Suppliers
Free Masterclasses National Scale Networking Features Expert advice areas Interactive Features The event is designed to give you all the tools you need to grow and to develop your takeaway, whether that is franchising your restaurant, adding an automated online ordering system or re-branding yourself to move to the top of the food chain. Takeaway Innovation Expo is an interactive
Any takeaway franchise owner, startup takeaways, restaurants providing a takeaway, restaurants looking to add takeaway services, or any other fast food establishment owner needs to be at this show if they want to seriously improve their business! Show audience: 5,000 – The core visitor will be takeaway restaurant owners, managers, and franchisees looking for products and services to help them grow and improve their takeaway. For more details go to www.takeawayexpo.co.uk
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August 2016 // Battered
Chip Shops what you can get in
across the UK
ed Mars
Deep Fri
Bar
Orange Chips
nch
Pizza Cru
I have been a connoisseur of fish & chips for many years and have got the expanding waistline to prove it. In this first issue of Battered I have decided to take a look at some of the weird and wonderful Battered delicacies that you can get in various chippys across the UK. Orange chips: The Midlands Let’s start off with Orange Chips which you try in The Midlands. These tasty chips are dipped in an orange coloured batter, before being fried. What makes the batter orange? I don’t know, but apparently the end result is one seriously crunchy, crackly, mouth-watering chip. These delicious morsels were developed in the Black Country to break the monotony of wartime and have been enjoyed across the region ever since. The Yorkshire fishcake: Yorkshire We’re all familiar with the concept of the fishcake, no? And, I’d imagine, we all know what a potato scallop is. Well, the Yorkshire www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
fishcake is a marriage of the two, where the fish is the filling and the potato the bread.. Pea fritter: origins unknown Battered peas. My own investigations haven’t been able to tell me exactly where this one derives from, but it’s certainly not available on all menus and clearly takes a delicate hand to craft…The best Pea Fritter that I have sampled on my travels is from Mr B’s Fish and Chip Shop in Peterborough! Black Pudding Supper/White pudding supper… Glasgow A Scottish delicacy! And after a heavy night of drinking in Glasgow a visit to a local chippy is a must at
the end of a night or early hours of the morning and trust me on this once you have had a Black or White pudding supper, you will have no hangover in the morning! And of course this meal must be washed down with a bottle of Irn Bru! And if you don’t know the difference between Black and White Pudding….White Pudding is just like black pudding, except for pig’s blood, substitute pig meat and fat, suet, bread and oatmeal, all rolled up into a big old deepfried sausage… Rag pudding/rag-pie: Oldham Minced meat and onions cooked in a suet pastry, then cooked in cheesecloth.
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Battered // August 2016
e Yorkshir
e Fish Cak
Pizza crunch: Glasgow Up in Glasgow you can basically batter anything you want…I recommend the Pizza Crunch and of course wash down with a bottle of Irn Bru. Saveloy dip: North East… It might look positively disgusting in the photo but this North East of England favourite is a smoked sausage sandwich which is dipped in gravy or fat, before being bedded in stuffing, mustard and pease pudding (a local spread made from split peas). Haggis supper: Scotland Again more proof you can batter anything in Scotland – even sheeps stomach. This is actually very tasty and again works much like
Scraps
the Black Pudding Supper after a good old night of heavy alcohol consumption and is best washed down with Irn Bru! Scraps: LeedsGoogle ‘Scraps’ describes exactly what it refers to. They’re basically the bits of batter that have fallen off from your fish in the deep fat fryer and, ever since the dawn of time, they’ve been available free to anyone who asked for them. Cod roe: Weston-Super-Mare This might look like your standard fishcake, but what lurks inside is actually a dish made from the ripe internal egg masses of fish or sea urchin ovaries. Yummy!!! Mint sauce on mushy peas: Nottingham
Dip Saveloy
Apparently, they can’t get enough of it in Nottingham… Deep-fried Mars bar: Scotland This is amazing…It has to be tried to be believed! A few chip shops in Northern Ireland have caught onto it and are serving to their patrons also.... Deep Fried Crème Egg: Tenerife If you ever visit Costa Del Silencio, The Golden Chip is a must for some great Fish and Chips and they even sell Haggis too because owner John is from Glasgow! And that means he will probably batter anything that you want. On a recent visit I tried a Deep Fried Cadbury Crème Egg and I must say, it was amazing! By Robin Elliott www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
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August 2016 // Battered
WHAT’S ON THE MENU IN
McDonald’s
AROUND THE WORLD McDonald’s don’t have the same menu worldwide, so when you walk into a McDonald’s in a foreign location expect exotic items which you may not have seen in your local McDonald’s.
INDIA
CHILE
In India, selling of beef is prohibited, so instead of Big Mac’s you will find Maharaja Mac, which is similar to Big Mac but made of lamb or chicken meat. They also serve a vegetarian burger not found in the the McAloo Tikki burger.
In Chile, burgers are served with avocado paste; no ketchup is used in the burgers.
COSTA RICA
In Costa Rica, McDonald’s serve rice. They sell Gallo Pinto which means rice and beans in Spanish.
NORWAY
In fish-loving Norway, you can find McLaks, a sandwich made of grilled salmon and Dill sauce.
GERMANY
In Germany, you get most of the popular items plus they serve German beer, so you can have a Big Mac plus a Pilsner beer.
CANADA
In parts of Canada, they have a lobster item called McLobster, a lobster roll, the same sold as McHomard in French spoken parts of Canada.
JAPAN
In Japan, McDonald’s has added many items catered to the locals such as Ebi Filet-O (shrimp burger), Koroke Burger (mashed potato, cabbage and katsu sauce), Ebi-Chiki (shrimp nuggets) and a green tea flavored milkshake.
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GREECE
In Greece, burgers are served in pita bread not in buns; they have a Greek Mac, a burger made of patties wrapped in pita bread.
HONG KONG
This is another location, where rice is served. Hong Kong citizens get Rice burgers in McDonald’s where the burgers are served between two rice patties rather than on buns.
ISRAEL
McDonald’s has 3 kosher restaurants where cheeseburger and dairy products are not served because Jewish Law forbids serving “the child [cow/beef ] in its mother’s milk [dairy].” They have McShawarma, meat in a pita bread roll.
URUGUAY
In Uruguay, McDonald’s has McHuevo (Huevo is eggs in Spanish), a regular hamburger but topped with a poached egg.
McDonald’s FLOPS 19
Battered // August 2016
McDonald’s is a giant success in the food industry. Still, not everything Ray Kroc touches turns to gold. Here are some of the products that didn’t turn out to be golden after all. Hulaburger.
The big tragedy of this one was that it was such a favorite of Ray Kroc. He invented it himself to cater to Roman Catholics who avoided meat on Fridays. So Kroc took the meat out of the cheeseburger and replaced it with – guess what? – a pineapple! It was tested in 1963 and, well, it failed dismally. Eventually, McDonald’s decided to promote the Filet-o-Fish instead.
Arch Deluxe.
After years of selling to children, McDonald’s decided in 1996 to try to sell to adults. So they designed a very “mature” burger, with a quarter pound beef patty, red onions, lettuce, tomato, and a special honey-mustard sauce, all sandwiched inside a potato roll. For a little extra charge, you could be more chic and have peppered bacon added to the pack.
roasted chicken. For side dishes, it had vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy. And for dessert, there was brownie a la mode. For the same reason why the Arch Deluxe didn’t click, the Dinner Menu also flopped.
Chicken Fajitas.
This was a small tortilla pocket with grilled chicken and vegetables. Considering how much McDonald’s patrons love Big Macs, I can’t imagine why McDonald’s would think we’d be satisfied with such a tiny thing as this.
Salad Shakers.
One of McDonald’s efforts to offer fast and healthy food, the salad shakers started out a huge success – until people got tired of scraping the dressing off the covers of their shakers.
Fried Roast Beef Sandwiches.
McAfrica.
McPizza.
McLean Deluxe.
Ooh, roast beef! Sounds good, huh? Can you imagine how something like that could flop? Well, technically, it didn’t. It’s just that it cost so much to produce, it was bringing the company to the brink of a financial disaster. It didn’t flop for the customers. It flopped for McDonald’s.
In the late 80s and early 90s, the McPizza would have made McDonald’s the ultimate one-stop shop for fastfood. There was just one problem: Pizza isn’t very fast. For people used to zipping in and out of McDonald’s, the waiting time for the pizza to be cooked and served just was too much of a change….And they really should have just gone to Pizza Hut.
The Dinner Menu.
Tested during the early 1990s, the Dinner Menu featured entrees of pizza, spaghetti, fettucine alfredo, lasagna, and
This pita bread sandwich with beef and veggies didn’t taste bad at all, so I’ve heard. It was just unlucky that it was released in 2002, at a time when Africa was in famine and a lot of people felt it was adding insult to injury – perhaps it would have fared better if it had been differently named.
This is the great McDonald’s irony: People criticize it for being unhealthy, but when it comes up with a healthy product, people refuse to buy! Released in 1991, the McLean Deluxe was as disgustingly healthy as a sandwich could get: Ninetyone percent fat free, it replaced fat with water and used seaweed extract to bind the water to the beef. Well people didn’t like the new fat-free burger because, after all, it’s fat that makes burgers taste so good. The healthy McDonald’s burger flopped, which just goes to show how health conscious McDonald’s eaters really are! www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
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August 2016 // Battered
LEARN
TO FRY
WITHOUT THE NEED Alan Hanna
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TO FLY!
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Battered // August 2016
The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) is delighted to announce the grand opening of the NFFF Northern Ireland Training Hub in which they will offer superb training opportunities for all fish friers... Designed with all types of caterers in mind there are courses on offer for complete beginners and also for those people with some catering experience. The Complete Beginners Course is a complete guide to fish and chip shop management. This three day course is developed in conjunction with Seafish and is ideal for those who are new to the industry. Whether you’re buying your own business or managing a business for someone else, this is the course that will teach theory plus a lot of practical skills and also includes the opportunity to sit the Level 2 Food Safety in Catering and/or Health and Safety in the Workplace exams. For those with some catering experience the one day course is a practical guide to fish frying. This course is designed for those with some previous catering experience but no practical knowledge of fish frying. The syllabus will cover the practical elements of the business. This is the perfect course to introduce you/your staff to the best techniques of the fish frying process. You will also get the latest industry information and industry awareness. This course can also be tailored to the meet the requirements of an individual. If there is specific areas you wish to concentrate on or omit, the course can be adjusted to suit your requirements.
Courses cover everything including: Product sourcing Fish, potato and batter: selection and preparation Types of oils and fats Hands on cooking including correct frying temperatures, range management and portion control Oil management Food hygiene Health and Safety requirements Managing accounts Dealing with VAT Customer service The course is tutored in Northern Ireland by Alan Hanna who’s history in the fish and chip shop industry is renowned... Alan established Pit-Stop Fast Food over 25 years ago in the fishing village of Kilkeel, Co. Down. As well as achieving a Certificate in Food Hygiene Management from the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, he is an approved assessor for the NFFF Fish and Chip Quality Award along with the Seafish/NFFF Fish Frying Skills and Customer Service Skills qualifications. Alan is now an NFFF approved trainer and wishes to make the NFFF training courses more accessible to chip shops in Northern Ireland. His shop, The Pit-Stop holds a 5* Food Hygiene rating and was the first fish and chip shop in Northern Ireland to have been awarded both the Eat Safe Award and the NFFF
Fish and Chip Shop Quality Award. Alan’s shop has been awarded several accolades from his initial position of Seafish Northern Ireland runner up and Fish and Chip Shop of the Year 2004, Seafish Northern Ireland Winner of Fish and Chip Shop of the Year 2005 and then being awarded Seafish Northern Ireland winner Fish and Chip Shop of the Year three years in a row! This was quickly followed by two consecutive awards as the LCN Northern Ireland winner Fish and Chip Shop of the Year 2013 and 2014. Due to the location of the training hub, students will not be accepted from businesses based within a 30 mile radius of Kilkeel although Alan can offer in-shop training within your own premises. No matter how long you have been in the industry there is always room to pick up some extra knowledge! If you have queries on the courses on offer please contact Alan Hanna on 07711 216416 or email alan@ pitstopfastfood.com
Course Contact Alan Hanna on 07711 216416 or email alan@pitstopfastfood.com
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August 2016 // Battered
Simply Fish traditional re a s ip h c d an and Simply fish d in Belfast e s a b s p o h toric Chip S d at the his te a u it S . rn Lisbu Belfast and in t e rk a M in St. Georges burn. Now is L in re a u er 15 Market Sq iness for ov s u b p o h s team have the Chip e th e m ti t tha e the years and in kes to mak ta it t a h in w learned chips to sit d n a h is F c nti best authe y... m or take awa t up with Lia h g u a c to d re Batte Simply Fish f o r e n w o of Conlon, the t the secrets u o b a re o find out m ss! their succe
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Simply Fish and Chips 30/32 Market Square Lisburn, BT28 1AG
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Battered // August 2016
St Georges Market and Market Square have been a centre for trade and friendly banter for over a century and at Simply Fish they pride themselves on having a friendly atmosphere and the best customer service. Liam said, “We are proud to use only the finest local ingredients and our staff have many years of experience in delivering only the finest fish and chips with our own unique batter. “
teams in both Belfast and Lisburn with the right level of skill and experience to deliver the best Fish and Chips on offer. .
highest possible ‘scores on the doors’ rating. Having the Best Fish and Chips in Belfast and Lisburn takes more than just the right staff.
What is your biggest challenge in the business to date? Working with my wife lol. Our first store opened at St George’s Market July 2006 and most recently we we opened our Lisburn store in October 2015.
What’s your most expensive item on the menu? Fish Supper is the most expensive, but it has to be noted for both the local audience and the hurgy shopper we never fail to surprise and please our customers with simply the best Fish and Chips in the city.
When did you start in the chip shop business? I started around 20 years ago and have enjoyed learning every aspect of the business.
What makes you different from other chip shops? We are the only sit-in fish and chip restaurant in Lisburn City Centre. All our products are made and prepared fresh on site everyday. We use only the finest local ingredients cooked fresh every day to our own recipe.
Have you won any awards/ratings to date? We have been finalist in the NI Food awards, best restaurant and best new comer at the Lisburn business award, nominated the best place for fish and chips by Cool FM and also in the top 20 places in Ireland to try fish and chips before you die. What is your speciality on the menu? This has to be our freshly battered cod, Our customers have always been discerning ones that is why we pride ourselves on having one of the best
What is your best selling fish (cod, hake, plaice etc) and why? We only sell Cod. All of our fish is cooked from fresh every day. How many staff do you currently employ? Presently we have 30 staff. Our team are dedicated to cleanliness and hygiene and we enjoy having the
Do you find social media useful to your chip shop and if so, why? We use social media everyday and our Facebook and Twitter feeds for daily specials and seasonal delights. We offer evening deliveries seven days a week so find social media very useful. What’s your top tip to any new chip shop opening in the industry today? Do your own thing, don’t follow what others are doing. Always buy the best products you can. (Simply fish and chips are based at St George’s Market in Belfast and Market Square in Lisburn.)
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August 2016 // Battered
WORLD RECORD BREAKING FOOD to Hope when Lloyd Bright grew a 268.8-pound watermelon in 2005.
Kitchen Sink Sundae in Medina, Ohio 127-pound cabbage
Steve Hubacek broke his own world record this year when he displayed this monstrous head of cabbage he’d grown for the Alaska State Fair. Can you imagine the smell if you found a pot big enough to boil it in? And doesn’t it look a little like something from Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Oh, and should you want to grow one, you’re on your own. Hubacek keeps his choice of seed a secret.
150-pound burger at Mallie’s
Even though this is the largest commercially available burger available in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, you can’t just walk in off the street and order it. Mallie’s Sports Bar and Grill in Southgate, Michigan., asks that you allow a “minimum of 72 hours to prepare.” This burger is for dine-in only—no delivery and costs $499.
268.8-pound watermelon
Hope, Arkansas, is not only the town where Bill Clinton got his start but also home of the world’s largest watermelons. The town’s first world-record melon was grown in 1935, and it held the prize for decades. The record then went to Tennessee, and once again returned www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
The world record sundae was made by Palm Dairies LTD at Alberta, Canada, in 1988, which had 20.27 tons ice cream, 4.39 tons of syrup and 537 pounds of topping. Should you be in the mood for a lot of ice cream, head over to Elm Farm in Medina, Ohio—home not only to America’s Ice Cream and Dairy Museum but also to the Kitchen Sink Sundae — 21 scoops of ice cream, a topping of whipped cream and sprinkles. It comes served in a kitchen sink!
The Home Wrecker Hot Dog
The Home Wrecker from Hillbilly Hot Dogs in West Virginia is a 15-inches with chili sauce, mustard, onions, ketchup, mayo, relish, coleslaw, sauerkraut, nacho cheese, jalapenos and bbq sauce. As seen on food network...
Monster Marrow
Englishman Ken Dade grew this monster marrow after a long wet spring and summer and captured the World Record at 113 lbs. Dade’s response: “There is nothing else like it. It is like winning an Olympic gold medal.”
Largest Pumpkin
Christy Harp of Jackson Township, Ohio, has broken the world record for largest pumpkin with this 1,725 pound monster. On common hazzard of such enormous vegetables is their tendency to explode. According to an NPR report, ‘a giant pumpkin can put on around 40 pounds a day. If there is too much rain, some pumpkins overindulge and begin packing on closer to 50 pounds a day. As the pumpkins expand, pressure builds on the weaker parts
Battered // August 2016
UK’S TOP FISH AND
CHIP SHOPS
25
ANNOUNCED
TheUK’stopfishandchipshopshavebeenannounced today(Wednesday3August)bythe2017NationalFish &ChipAwards,organisedbySeafish. Shortlistedaspartoftheawardswhicharewidelyconsideredasthe‘Oscars’ofthe fish frying industry, the 62 shops will now compete for the ultimate accolade IndependentTakeawayFishandChipShopoftheYearAward–andaimtoclaim thetitleof‘bestfishandchipshop’intheUK. Hailing from every part of the country*, the contenders have had to fry at the top of their game as they faced rigorous judging to secure a top spot. To reach this stage they have been appraised by industry experts across a variety of judging criteria, including menu development and innovation, sustainable sourcing policies, customer service and staff training processes, marketing and promotional flair, and how they attract new customers to fish and chips. Over the coming weeks, shops will be subjected to further judging as they receive mystery shopping assessments. This next stage of the competition will whittle down the line up, establishing a UK top 20 that will subsequently compete to be crowned with a prestigious ‘regional’ title. Following a further judging stage, the overall national winner will be announced in January after a seven-month long judging process. Handing over the crown in January 2017 will be current champions, Simpsons Fish & Chips in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, winners of the 2016 Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award. James and Bonny Ritchie of Simpsons Fish & Chips commented: “Winning the 2016 National Fish & Chip Awards was a life changing experience and a moment we’ll treasure forever. It meant so much to us as a family - I genuinely can’t put it into words. “From the moment we were crowned winners we saw a dramatic increase in business across both our takeaway and restaurant. The award has given us real recognition and respect, and has opened
many doors we wouldn’t even have dreamed were possible.” Marcus Coleman, Chief Executive at Seafish, added: “The Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Award is one of the highest honours a fish and chip business can receive. Many of our past winners and finalists have gone on to reap substantial benefits, including increased shop footfall and turnover and media fame through overseas industry study trips; some have even launched their own branded products. “Receiving this award is the pinnacle of many friers’ careers, but only one can take home the title. I wish all contenders the best of luck as they move onto the next stage of judging and look forward to seeing who comes out on top.” Culminating in an awards ceremony at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel on 26 January 2017, The National Fish & Chip Awards are recognised as one of the most prominent and respected seafood industry events in the UK. They celebrate the Great British tradition of fish and chips, showcasing the best talent, quality and choice offered by fish and chip businesses through 13 different award categories. For further information on The National Fish & Chip Awards or to view the full top 60 shortlist online visit www. fishandchipawards.com. Follow @ FishnChipAwards on Twitter for all the awards news and information. *Shops compete across 10 judging regions: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, North East England, North West England, Midlands, Eastern England, London & South East England, Central & Southern England and South West England.
Region: Northern Ireland Fish City 33 Ann Street Belfast County Antrim BT1 4EB Raffos www.fish-city.com 174 Andersonstown Road Belfast County Antrim BT11 9BZ Spinnaker 10-12 Knockchree Avenue Kilkeel County Down BT34 4BP Superbites Cardinal O’Fiach Square Crossmaglen County Armagh BT359HG www.superbites.co.uk The Dolphin Takeaway 19 Georges Street Dungannon County Tyrone BT70 1BT www.dolphindungannon. co.uk The Friary 78 Prince Andrew Way Carrickfergus County Antrim BT38 7TB The Frying Squad 9 Balloo Road Bangor County Down BT19 7PG www.the-friary.com www.fryingsquad.com www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
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August 2016 // Battered
the
Fish N’Chips FACTS
National undisputed ural e th re a s ip g a cult Fish and ch in, becomin ta ri B t a re G ntry, dish of l of our cou o b m sy ry a world and culin s British the s the a d e is n g o c Chips”, a instantly re as Fish and sh ti ri B s “A . over... s! saying goe pear to d Chips ap n a h is F f o losely s century - c The origin th 9 1 id m the lution strial revo be around u d in e th , with es in Britain g n associated a h c y n rned ma e their which spu allate. Sinc p h s ti ri B e Fish and not least th years ago, 0 0 1 r e v o rity as origins ge popula u h in ta in tritious Chips ma ble and nu a rd o ff a l, a THE origin . y a takeaw www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
Battered // August 2016
FACTS Where did fish and chips originate?
Fish and chips were first served together as a complete dish around 1860 - the Malin family of London and the Lee’s of Mossley, near Manchester both staking claims to be the first. However, the fried fish and cooked potato trades had existed for many years before this. Fried fish was first introduced to London by Jewish immigrants from Portugal and Spain probably as far back as the 17th Century. American President Thomas Jefferson described eating ‘fried fish in the Jewish fashion’ on a visit to the capital at the end of the 18th Century and even Charles Dickens makes reference to a fried fish warehouse in Oliver Twist. Fried potatoes as chips probably originate from Belgium. Dickens was indeed an early advocate of the trade also recounting ‘Husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil’ in ‘A Tale of two Cities’, published in 1859.
Fish and Chips Nutrition
Fish and chips are less than 10% fat if properly cooked and an average sized portion is less than 1000 calories. Adding peas to the meal lowers fat and calories per 100 grams, but as peas contain approximately 100 calories per 100 grams, this increases the total calories consumed in the meal. Rapeseed oil (when in optimum condition) produces the healthiest product, but breaks down more easily than other frying mediums. It is, however, a reasonable view that the customer expectation of taste is more important.
Fish and Chips, Facts and Figures
Fish and chip shops have been around for a long time and as a result, there are some pretty surprising facts about the fish and chip business! There are currently in the region of 10,500 specialist fish and chip shops in the UK. These dramatically outnumber other fast food outlets: McDonalds has only 1,200 outlets, Kentucky Fried Chicken 350. British consumers eat some 382 million
portions of fish and chips every year. That’s six servings for every man, woman and child. The longest running fish and chip shop still in operation is based in Yeadon near Leeds. Trading under the name ‘The Oldest Fish & Chip Shop in the World’, fish and chips are believed to have been served from the premises continually since 1865. The world’s largest fish and chip shop/ restaurant is Sharpy’s in Wigan, catering for 270. The world’s largest portion of fish and chip’s was made by Fish & Chips @ London Road in Enfield, London, on July 2012. The mammoth portion of Halibut and chips weighed in at 47kg (pictured).
Annual spend on fish and chips in the UK is in the region of a staggering £1.2 billion!
80% of people visit fish and chip shops at least once a year. 22% of people visit fish and chip shops every week. 56% of people buy fish and chips to eat in the home as a family meal.
Fish and chips make a balanced, nutritious meal. They are a valuable source of protein, fibre, iron and vitamins.
Fish and chips provide a third of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins for a man and nearly half for a woman. An average portion of fish, chips and peas contains only 7.3% fat of which 2.8% is saturated fat. This compares with 10.8% fat in a pork pie and 16.8 grams you will find in a tuna mayonnaise sandwich. The world’s first fish and chip shop is believed to be Malin’s, opened in 1860 on Old Ford road, East London. They later moved to different sites in East London, with the business since closing down.
Fish and Chip World Records
The longest running fish and chip shop
still in operation is based in Yeadon near Leeds. Trading under the name ‘The Oldest Fish & Chip Shop in the World’, fish and chips are believed to have been served from the premises continually
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since 1865. It is believed that Harry Ramsden’s in Bournemouth, which has 417 covers, is the largest fish and chip shop in the UK. Sharpy’s in Wigan held the record previously with 270 covers. The world’s largest portion of fish and chip’s was made by Fish & Chips @ London Road in Enfield, London, on July 2012. The mammoth portion of Halibut and chips weighed in at 47kg (pictured). The world’s largest Cod and Chips was cooked up and served by Scawsby Fisheries in Doncaster. The massive battered Cod weighed in at 33lb (15kg) and was served alongside with 64lb (29kg) of chips. The World Record holders for the fastest portion of chips served from scratch belongs to Henley’s Fish & Chip Shop in Wivenhoe, Colchester, Essex. They took a raw potato, peeled it, chipped it, cooked to perfection and served up in an amazing 222 seconds! The Guinness World Record for wrapping chips is held by Steph Celik of Blue Whale Fish & Chip Shop in Maltby, South Yorkshire. Beating a previous record by two seconds in 2012, speedy Steph wrapped up five 350g portions of chips, with added salt and vinegar, in just 58 seconds. The Fish and Chip Shop at the Adventure Island fun park in Southend-on-Sea, cooked up 448 kilos (988lbs) of chips, piled up inside a giant box to set the world record in 2011 for the largest single serving of chips! The world’s largest chain of fish and shops are Fish n Chick’n with 35 restaurants / takeaways. The record number of fish and chip portions sold in a fish and chip shop in one day is 12,406 at Marini’s in Glasgow, set in 1999. Marini’s beat the previous record held by Harry Ramsden’s by serving an incredible 8.5 fish suppers a minute for 24 hours. The longest serving fish frier is believed to be Bettina Dawson of Moffat Chippy (pictured), who had been worked in her family chip shop since she was 13 and a half in 1936 - making it 76 years at the range! Unfortunately Bettina passed away in April 2014.
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August 2016 // Battered
HOT OFF THE PRESS
UK INDUSTRY BRANDED ‘THE DEADLIEST CATCH’
AS SHOCKING STATISTICS REVEAL www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/
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Battered // August 2016
Seafish calls for more attention to be paid to safety on board fishing vessels as this year’s death toll already exceeds last year The UK’s fishing fleet is suffering from one of its deadliest periods in a decade with more deaths recorded here than in Alaskan waters where reality TV show The Deadliest Catch is filmed. Nine fishermen’s lives have been lost at sea in the first six months of this year in six different incidents, a worryingly high figure for this stage in the year and there is concern this number could rise. Now more dangerous than Alaska, recognised for its treacherous waters as part of the reality television series ‘Deadliest Catch’, the UK has seen an increase of 29% on 2015 full year figures (seven fishermen lost their lives), as reported by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) today in its 2015 Annual Report. The Alaskan fishing fleet has reported that, for the first time, no one died while commercial fishing in a vessel-related incident in the past year. Previously, between 1980 and 1988, an average of 31 fishermen died in Alaska each year. The MAIB’s Annual Report for 2015 comes as Seafish also warns that the summer months (June to September) are when commercial fishermen are more likely to have a non fatal accident which leads to major injury when working at sea. A common misperception is that these accidents are more likely to happen during bad weather during the winter months. In light of this, Seafish is calling on the fishing industry to be vigilant all year round when it comes to the health and safety of crew on board commercial fishing vessels. Research, carried out by the Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL) for RNLI in partnership with Seafish and the MAIB, has found that a third (33%) of non-fatal, major injury events are likely to occur from June to September, in calm seas and when there is good light and visibility. The research also found that more than half of commercial fishermen (55%) surveyed said they had suffered injuries whilst operating fishing gear and other
machinery, typical injuries include amputations and fractures. In a bid to reduce the number of fatal and debilitating accidents, Seafish is calling for all owners, skippers and crew to review their working practices and take steps to remove or reduce risks and adopt safer working practices. Crew training records can be checked and verified with Seafish, but training should be regularly refreshed. Seafish also wants more fishermen to wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) when working at sea. These are still available for free from Seafish (for fishermen in England, Wales and NI) and the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (for fishermen in Scotland). Simon Potten, Head of Safety and Training at Seafish explains: “The number of fatal accidents and serious injuries happening in our fishing industry is unacceptable. I know many fishermen watch the Deadliest Catch, which shows some pretty scary fishing in Alaska, but last year the Alaskan commercial fishing industry had zero deaths. The ‘Deadliest Catch’ is right here in the UK with nine deaths to date this year. It’s a horrific record.” Jerome McCartan is an experienced fisherman from Warrenpoint in County Down. Earlier this year he was working on the fishing vesselCarraig Chuin when she sank off the coast of Kilkeel. The vessel sprung a leak and started to go down very quickly. The crew of 3 were rescued by the coastguard. Jerome says: “It started off as a normal day, we were trawling about 20 miles south east of Kilkeel and the weather was fine. The first sign of a potential problem was some water in the bilgesthis wasn’t unusual on a wooden fishing boat but as a precaution the skipper made sure the crew donned their lifejackets. “In an instant, mild concern turned to panic and I was suddenly in the water. “The water was icy cold and I quickly began to lose consciousness. I was 25 minutes in the water and near death through hypothermia when help arrived. It all happened so quickly and I wouldn’t be here to tell the tale if I
wasn’t wearing a lifejacket.” Over the coming weeks, Seafish will be providing safety packs to commercial fishermen in the UK as part of its Sea You Home Safe campaign. The packs will provide ways in which fishermen can reduce the risk of accidents on board, as well as providing information on what training is available (including funded training) and how to apply for a free PFD. Simon continues: “It is widely understood that fishing is the most dangerous peacetime occupation and as a result, even more training, care and consideration should be taken in preparation for working out at sea.It may be surprising that non fatal accidents are more likely to happen during the summer months, but this is the time when most fishermen are out at sea, working hard to make a living. Tiredness, fatigue and complacency can easily creep up on the unwary fisherman. We need to be taking real action all year round to ensure we are keeping our fishermen safe at sea. “There is a wealth of safety knowledge and expertise available for fishermen to draw on. In addition to Seafish and its network of Approved Training Providers, fishermen can get information, advice, guidance and support from organisations including the MCA, MAIB, RNLI, Fishermen’s Federations, the Fishermen’s Mission and Seafarers UK. So I would urge all owners, skippers and crew to get in touch and see what support is available.”
Information: For more information about training opportunities for fishermen, please visit http://www.seafish.org/ training
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FOOD
August 2016 // Battered
Allergies
PEOPLE QUARTER OF E LERGIES HAV AL D O WITH FO NS O TI AC RE D EXPERIENCE OUT WHEN EATING
an they did nt eating out th feel more confide ced. du ation was intro before the legisl ll report a with allergies sti However, people out. More g tin ea en wh lems number of prob nced staff rie pe ex (69%) have d than two-thirds of an allergy, an ng the severity n. not understandi tio ac re a e us ake can ca how easily a mist staff with a (68%) have seen r be m nu r ila A sim menu or in e th on ’s ge of what lack of knowled eggs with ing ing staff confus the food – includ was asking er m sto cu e th that in (a dairy, or assuming lup ing ther than avoid for gluten-free ra eat). Over wh of e ac pl in used grain commonly id they have nsumers (56%) sa half of allergic co nience due to l like an inconve been made to fee their allergy.
sinesses and support local bu “We continue to line tool on e fre a MenuCal, have produced e the allergy ag businesses man that helps food We are e. rv se ey th e food information of th uncils and co ict sely with distr working very clo d to ensure in Northern Irelan food businesses st.” tru n ca food people we’re providing
s Agency e Food Standard Research by th that despite d un fo s ha y UK (FSA) and Allerg le with a op pe one in four improvements, reaction while a ed nc rie pe s ex food allergy ha fe since new restaurant or ca eating out in a me in a year ess not ng legislation ca ters a food busin allergen labelli If anyone encoun allergens, they 14 e th on ion at ago. o ly one in five providing inform strict council wh found that near d in a port it to their di The survey also lte re su ld ose re th ou ns at sh th tio ac ed ergic re The survey show (19%) of those all rt it to po will investigate. re to ely lik e ntly mor hospital visit. affected are curre complain on instance (69%) or C) st (FI fir s e er th in um ff ns sta Co r fo ). ion 3% at (2 t rm en fo er the ev r The EU Food In social media aft force in Decembe o int e m ca ion to Legislat ses have ility that food busines been given flexib 2014, and means businesses have available to . od ns Fo ge ion er at m all or 14 inf on ide allergy make information on how they prov y through all rb ve d te ica mun consumers. or This can be com osted to where ns, ose with a food s by staff or signp ge th er ion of all us at ird en an on th pl m m a ex m on nd co d un the most In total, arou in the mation can be fo This ranges from nced a reaction s well known how more infor e ergy have experie and gluten, to les Th s all e. ut ts. m an fle ho pe e lea l rd as th ta na of ch su ting out ch as mus or in additio gic reactions su last year when ea ace in a triggers for aller of adults and ese (25%) took pl lations th 2% of at y th rit ed ajo at m of tim st the EU FIC regu lt va information on 9% being a resu nd 28,000 and celery. It is es e th ou or rgyar wi m r lle to fe, s /a Fo ca te ce or ua t ien n hich eq restauran 8%) the reactio d w.food.gov.uk/sc 8% of children (w Northern Irelan . In most cases (8 FSA in NI please visit: ww in od on n) fo te re ng ay da ild lti aw to ch su 0 ke re up ta actions to keep adults and 30,00 on , with 19% of re intolerance/ or inni or follow us allergy. was self-treated ebook.co.uk/fsa fac may have a food it: vis ws it. ne in a hospital vis I. mark Twitter @FSAinN on the FSA e s carried out to wa ich wh , ey for allergy alerts rv ary Health at th up et n Di at The su sig th of n d ad ca un u He fo , Yo e, 16 or 20 lm k/about-us/ k ve Gi v.u ee ha on W .go o s ar od es wh Sh fo en le Allergy Awar bsite at: www. mber of peop we nu noticed NI he ve in “T ha : s id nt sa de in NI on ed sp FSA in s increas overall, 83% of re d to make d intolerances ha subscribe. easures designe food allergies an g businesses hin et m so ing is an increase in m lud is th r inc d – s an er de um ca ns de t co gister to use ou las w ergic the tively roduction of ne esses can also re ac life easier for all ff int sin e sta bu tify th d en od ce an id , Fo s Sin ns lp e. out allerge can’t ignor enuCal, which he d to see real menus marking www. the kitchen. e online tool, M it: 14, we’re please th fre 20 Vis wi in e. ion rv ion ion at se at at m ey isl m or leg ide infor the food th checking food inf nsumers said businesses prov the allergens in 8%) of allergic co progress in how still needs for more. s at k th ha o.u t ea i.c ou More than half (5 ar g aln an uc tin it’s ea en t m experience of on allergens bu a As . that their overall rse said it has got wo improvement. w improved; just 6% 2%) say they no (5 n tio or op pr r result, a simila
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directory 31
Battered // August 2016
For more info on call Jenny on Tel: 07933 983540
Chip Shop Owners Need Looked after too!
Want to see your advert in our directory?
Tel: 07933 983540
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Tel No. 028 302 62908 Fax. 028 308 68563 • Email. ebgas@freeuk.com Web. www.ebgasservices.com
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Super Quality, Super Sausages August 2016 // Battered
Quality Pork Sausages
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To find out more about McWhinneys Sausages, visit us at www.mcwhinneys.com www.facebook.com/BatteredMagazine/