Chippy of the Year: The winner is ...

Second-generation fryer Lianna Constantinou has always known her chips. 
The owner of Wigan Road Chippy with partner Andrew Rowson since April, the new premises have certainly made a big impression in a comparatively short period.

Most of her hungry customers have now become “friends and regulars.”

With large queues snaking down the road at the end of the working week for the traditional Friday Chippy Tea.

Lianna was quite literally born into this most mouth watering of trades.

Her dad, George Constantinou, opened his first chippy in Irlam in the 1970’s. He had become one of hundreds of thousands of Greek Cypriot refugees made homeless with the Turkish invasion of the Mediterranean island.

He went on to open other chippy emporiums in Warrington and Salford, and has been always been ready with advice on how to serve up the perfect, original and best, truly nutritious fast food.

And that includes the best potato varieties for the very best seasonal chips.

Exactly which, though, Lianna is keeping a fish fryers’ trade secret for fear of tipping off “the competition!”

However she is prepared to reveal one of the reasons for the champion savour of her food.

Lianna said: “I change the oil religiously three times a week because we are busy...and that is important for a great fresh taste.

“Although this is my first place, I was brought up with chippies, my Dad has always had them and he drilled this into me

“Our customers know what they like and we are a traditional fish and chip shop and offer all the popular traditional staples such as sausages and a range of pies.

“The regulars here also love potato scallops, we sell an awful lot of those every day of the week.

“We work hard to keep up the quality and we must be succeeding because one thing I do know is that the folk around here won’t be shy in telling you if they are paying good money and things aren’t up to scratch.

“And that is no bad thing.”