A HAMPSHIRE takeaway has won the Peoples Choice category in a national takeaway awards.

Lowford Fish Bar achieved the accolade in the national wholesaler’s, JJ Food Service’s, Independent Takeaway Awards 2019.

The Bursledon-based chip shop were winners in a public vote on the social net working platform Facebook.

As well as the winners from other categories, the Portsmouth Road premises have received a framed certificate, £50 to spend on FOODit marketing, a free coffee training day with Lavazza Coffee and a gold winner stamp to add to their website.

Karen Whitlock, and her partner Rogerio Sigueira, were surprised to find out they had won the award.

Karen told the Echo: “We were shocked actually.

“We knew that we were in the running, and asked customers to vote for us, but we were shocked when they walked in with the award.

“I want to give a big thank you to all my staff and customers, who helped us win this award.”

The awards winners were based on customer data accumulated from the FOODit database.

FOODit is a London based company that builds food ordering websites for restaurants and takeaways, and they now have an online ordering app.

This year was the first year that these awards had a dedicated vegan category, with Cedar Lebanese Restaurant, in Wimbledon, winning Best Vegan Menu.

FOODit head of operations, Richard Bradshaw, said: “We want to say a massive well done to our takeaway customers who work tirelessly to market themselves online, serve great-tasting food and maintain the highest levels of service and and food hygiene.”