Copyright inverness-courier
Two Highland fish and chips shops will be vying for a coveted UK prize after being named among the five finalists. The Friary, in Beauly, and the Monster Fish & Chips Co in Fort Augustus are both up for a unique national fish and chip award - Middleton Foods’ “The Peter Hill Award”. And this achievement is something of a double success for both chippies - with The Friary making the final for the second year in a row, and the Monster Fish & Chips Co’s own final spot coming off the back of separate awards joy in a different UK contest. Announcing the finalists of The Peter Hill Award 2025, Ryan Baker, Sales Manager, Middleton Foods said: “Huge congratulations to Monster Fish & Chips Co. on being recognised as one of this year’s finalists and to The Friary on being recognised… for the second year in a row! “We launched The Peter Hill Award in memory of our great friend and CEO, Peter Hill, and following its tremendous success over recent years, we decided to bring it back once again this year with a whopping £10,000 worth of prizes up for grabs. “I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved with the Award – from the judges to those who took the time to enter. Once more, we have received a fantastic number of entries and are delighted to continue recognising more newcomers to the fish and chip industry; whilst encouraging new talent, promoting quality and excellence and giving something back to the trade we love so much.” The two Highland chippers are among three Scottish businesses in the final five - the other being Reel Plaice in Ayr. The remaining two finalists are The Cottage in Blackpool and Grandpa’s Fish Bar in Durham. Hannah Murray, manager at The Friary said: “I am delighted to be a finalist in the Peter Hill Award! To be recognised by some of the best in the industry is an achievement in itself. I’m at the start of my career as a shop Manager and so excited for what lies ahead. “I’m just so grateful to get this far and to bring this award home to our lovely village would be such a privilege.” Daniel Sandham at Monster Fish & Chips Co. added: “It’s a real honour to be named a finalist in The Peter Hill Award. We’re passionate about what we do at Monster Fish & Chips Co, and being recognised in this way means a lot. “A massive thank you to our great team, customers and our suppliers, Iain Stewart Fishmongers, The Real Fresh Chip Co. and Henry Colbeck for supplying us with the best produce. We are so proud of how far we’ve come and are very excited about what’s ahead.” Monster Fish & Chips Co’s success comes just over a month after it was named as one of the five finalists for Newcomer of the Year in the UK’s National Fish and Chip Awards. They will find out if they won that prize at a ceremony in London in January, Meanwhile, The Friary and Monster Fish & Chips Co will discover if they have won the Middleton Foods competition before October is out. The announcement will follow the next stage of judging by Calum Richardson, Fred Capel and Nigel Hodgson as well as a personal visit from Nikki Williams, Field Sales Manager, KFE. The winner will receive a spectacular prize – £1000 worth of Middleton Foods stock; design of their own ‘own label’ bespoke batter mix; two places at the KFE School of Frying Excellence; membership of the NFFF for one year; 1-1 ForkedUp training with Calum Richardson, for three months; two tickets to the Fish & Chip Shop of the Year Awards 2026 (with hotel accommodation and travel expenses); a year’s support from Middleton Foods’ very own Batter Boys and additional support for National Fish and Chip Day 2026! The four runners-up will each receive £300 of Middleton Foods stock and one place at the KFE School of Frying Excellence, with accommodation. Middleton Foods is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of foodservice pre-mixes. For further information visit www.middletonfoods.com/the-peter-hill-award. Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.
