A HAMPSHIRE chippy has been voted on of the best in the south.

Sonny’s Traditional Fish and Chips in Fair Oak has been named the top fish and chip shop in Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

The family run chippy scored the accolade in the 2017 National Fish & Chip Awards, organised by Seafish.

It will now go head to head with Godfrey’s Fish and Chips in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, to become Central & Southern England’s best fish and chip shop and could be crowned Independent Takeaway Fish and Chip Shop of the Year.

Sonny’s faced rigorous judging to secure a top spot.

The business has been appraised was judgedd by industry experts across a variety of judging criteria, including in menu development and innovation, sustainable sourcing policies, staff training processes, and marketing and promotional activities.

It also received mystery shopping assessments by industry experts to ascertain customer service levels and the quality of their fish and chips.

Over the coming weeks, the takeaway will be subjected to further mystery shopping assessments and in-depth judging audits.

This next stage of the competition will whittle down the line up, establishing the UK top 10 regional winners that will compete for the overall national title to be announced in January 2017.

Manager Mike Isaac said: “We’re over the moon to have got to this stage.

"It’s a big compliment.and shows that we’re doing something right.

“We like to commit a lot to staff training and to using the methods we’ve used in the past.

"We’re a traditional fish and chip shop and we like to keep those values of British fish and chips - it’s a British meal cooked in the traditional ways.

"We don’t do fancy recipes but we use sustainably sourced fish.”

Marcus Coleman, chief executive at Seafish, said: “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 customer footfall and turnover and media fame; 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 eventual overall national title.

"Before then, I would like to offer up my congratulations to the shortlisted businesses and wish them the best of luck as they battle for the regional titles.”

Culminating in an awards ceremony in London on January 26, 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.