Three leading fish and chip businesses have been recognised today (Thursday 30 November) for their efforts in promoting Seafood Week, as part of the 30th anniversary National Fish & Chip Awards, organised by Seafish.

Shortlisted as finalists for the Best Seafood Week Campaign Award- one of 15 categories in the 2018 National Fish & Chip Awards – the three businesses competing for the top title in this award category are:

The Fish Works in Largs, Ayrshire The Pelican in Barnstaple, Devon Burton Road Chippy in Lincoln, Lincolnshire

New to the awards for 2018, this category is open to all fish and chip establishments that registered their participation in Seafood Week (6–13 October 2017). Coordinated by Seafish, Seafood Week is an annual event that encourages more consumers to eat more fish, more often. From fishmongers and supermarkets to restaurants and takeaways, the Week provides a flexible platform for businesses and organisations to promote the fantastic variety of fish and shellfish available to consumers here in the UK 

To reach this stage of the competition, the three businesses have been assessed against a wide variety of judging criteria, focusing strongly on the marketing objectives and promotional tactics of their Seafood Week campaigns. Entrants were also judged on their efforts to involve staff and how they collectively engaged with their target markets. The overall national winner will be announced at the 30th anniversary awards ceremony.

Marcus Coleman, Chief Executive at Seafish, commented: "Our annual Seafood Week is a celebration of all things fish and shellfish, and is always a highlight in our industry calendar. The initiative encourages all fish and chip vendors to engage with their respective customer base to promote fish and shellfish; the fantastic tastes and flavours and the many associated health benefits, with the aim of inspiring more consumers to eat more fish, more often - and our three finalists did just that.

"With robust promotional campaigns that combined innovative marketing materials and techniques, it’s evident how passionate our three finalists are about increasing seafood consumption. I wish them the best of luck in the final.” 

Ben Bartlett, celebrity chef and awards judge, said: "I was thoroughly impressed by the standard of entries. This award is a fantastic way to celebrate the nutritious values of seafood while encouraging consumers to include it regularly in their diet.

"All of the entrants embraced the reasoning behind and awareness of Seafood Week and came up with an array of imaginative and innovative ways to target customers – it was great to see them pushing the natural and nutritional offering of fish and chips. I wish our three finalists the best of luck and would urge other shops to enter this standout category next year.”

The winner of the Best Seafood Week Campaign Award will be announced at The National Fish & Chip Awards’ 30th anniversary ceremony in London on 25 January 2018.