A MUCH-LOVED chippy and a cafe which prides itself on tantalisingly tasty cakes are celebrating after being named as winners in the UK Good Food Awards 2023, recognising their dedication to top class food and service.

Oldhams of Westcliff fish and chip restaurant in West Road, was awarded a blue ribbon in the Best Chippy category while Stop the World Cafe, on Leigh Broadway, was awarded a blue ribbon in the best cafe category.

The Good Food Awards, founded in 2002, celebrates culinary excellence across the UK, aiming to promote independent businesses.

Bradley Oldham, owner of Oldham’s of Westcliff, which has been open for more than 70 years, said: “We are a quite well-known name, we have the Palace Theatre who support us and people find us.”

Mr Oldham added that all the chippy aims for is to get people coming back, with the business having “regulars whose orders we know and waitresses who have been there for 20 years. The guys on the counter having been there for 20 years too”.

“There’s quality to what we do,” Mr Oldham said.

“We use a local farm, we try to keep as much local as we can, it’s the quality and the prices, we aren’t too greedy and its good to be recognised.”

Mr Oldham added that his personal go-to on the Oldham’s menu is the classic Haddock, chips, and a pickled gherkin.

Kate Henry, owner of Stop the World Cafe was also happy with the recognition, describing the cafe’s fourth win “surreal”.

“There’s a massive sense of achievement and the team are so hard working, its insane how busy we can be, and you need a good and passionate team,” Mrs Henry said.

She insisted that the number one priority is striving “for an amazing customer service”.

“We have so many regulars that we know by name, and I think our regulars always laugh and they always smile, and a lot of customers are known by name,” Mrs Henry added.

“Working in hospitality is extremely hard but to hear positive feedback and making people smile is amazing.”

Mrs Henry added that she recommends the cafe’s weekend breakfasts, eggs and red velvet latte.