The Townhead Café, in the Scottish Borders town of Biggar, has been crowned the UK’s best fish and chip shop at the finals of the national Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition.

Gordon and Sandra Hillan, owners of the chippy, received the gong from celebrity chef, Ainsley Harriott at the Royal Garden Hotel in London. The last time a Scottish champion achieved the national accolade was in 1998.

Gordon Hillan has worked in the fish and chips industry for nearly 30 years, learning the ropes from his dad, a cook in the merchant navy, from the tender age of 16. Gordon and his wife Sandra embrace the issue of sustainable sourcing, prominently displaying the source of the seafood they serve throughout the shop. To attend the ceremony, the couple had to turn down an invitation from their MP, David Mundell, to tea at the House of Commons. So David joined them instead at the gala lunch to share their big day.

Gordon and Sandra battered off stiff competition from the nine other UK finalists. After several rounds of judging, including a mystery shopper visit, the outcome was finally decided after a round of presentations to a panel of industry experts. For the first time in the competition’s history, entrants were judged on their commitment to building a sustainable future for the industry. Points were given to shops according to their use of sustainable species and the measures they have in place to encourage customers to try something new.