Traditional chippy in Shropshire is still frying high

"I come here once a week," says the 75-year-old. "You can't beat fish and chips, and they are good from here."

We are at Ketley Cod, a familiar landmark in this part of Telford. If you ever find yourself asking for directions in this neck of the woods, chances are somebody will make reference to chip shop.

And on National Fish and Chip Day, it's business as usual for the chip shop on the crossroads.

"I reckon we sell between 300 and 400 portions of fish and chips every week," says owner Gurpal Singh, who has spent 30 years working in the industry.

"It is not like it was 20 or 30 years ago, people have more choice, but people still love their fish and chips.

"I think it is just good, traditional English food."

Mr Richards, who lives in the Beaconsfield area of Telford, agrees.

"I always come here on a Thursday or a Friday, it is like a weekly treat," he says. "I just like the taste, and it is very filling."

Check out our list of the best fish and chip shops in the Midlands and Shropshire here.

According to the Federation of Fish Friers, there are about 10,500 specialist fish and chip shops in the UK, making them by some margin the most popular fast food outlets in the UK. British consumers eat some 382 million portions of fish and chips each year, equivalent to six for every man, woman and child.

The industry is also a major contributor to the economy, accounting for £1.2 billion every year. Fish and chips are big business.

Mr Singh became involved in the industry in the mid 1980s after running a clothing stall on Wellington Market.

"I used to always see the fish fryer in the market, and got to know him," he recalls. "He said it was hard work, but if you were prepared to put the effort in it was a good business. When he retired we decided to buy the business and we took it from there."

In the years that followed, he owned a number of fish bars in the Telford and Shrewsbury area, and took over Ketley Cod four years ago.

• Recent statistics from the Federation of Fish Friers says there are reported to be about 10,500 specialist fish and chip shops in the UK.

• British consumers eat some 382 million portions of fish and chips every year. That’s six servings for every man, woman and child.

• Annual spend on fish and chips in the UK is in the region of a staggering £1.2 billion.

• 80 per cent of people visit fish and chip shops at least once a year.

• More than a fifth of people visit fish and chip shops every week.

• About 56 per cent of people buy fish and chips to eat at home as a family meal.

• Fish and chips make a balanced, nutritious meal. They are a valuable source of protein, fibre, iron and vitamins./li>

• Fish and chips provide a third of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins for a man and nearly half for a woman.

• An average portion of fish, chips and peas contains only 7.3 per cent fat of which 2.8 per cent is saturated fat. This compares with 10.8 per cent fat in a pork pie and 16.8 grams you will find in a tuna mayonnaise sandwich.

• The world’s first fish and chip shop is believed to be Malin’s, opened in 1860 on Old Ford Road, East London. They later moved to different sites in East London before closing down.

• Content courtesy of the National Federation of Fish Friers. Visit www.federationoffishfriers.co.uk[/breakout] [related_posts title="More Telford entertainment news"] It is fair to say the industry has taken a bit of a battering from some quarters in recent years. Three years ago Salford Council hit the headlines when it suggested a ban on new fish and chip shops serving hot food before 5pm if they were situated near a school. The authority, which sparked accusations of the “nanny state” when it announced the consultation, pointed out that 23 per cent of final-year primary school children in the area were obese. Mr Singh is sceptical about such links. “People say that fish and chips make you fat, but I eat them at least two or three times a week, and look at me,” he says, pointing to his rake-like physique. “I think they are good for you, I would say they are certainly healthier than the other takeaways. “When you look back to the old days, people ate them all the time, and they were far healthier then.” Indeed, there might be something in what he says. [figure caption="Kully frying chips behind the counter" title="CHIPS1AE02" align="right" url="/entertainment/2016/06/03/traditional-chippy-in-shropshire-is-still-frying-high/chips1ae02/" id="996585" size="100"] According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, the average portion of battered cod and chips has fewer calories, about half the saturated fat and just an eighth of the salt of a cheese and tomato pizza. An average serving of chips contains more than double the amount of fibre found in an average serving of brown rice or bowl of porridge. But the flip-side is that the pizza will provide other nutrients, including of course, the tomatoes themselves. “I suppose it all depends what else you eat,” says Mr Singh, who is 51. He actually sells pizza as well nowadays, as well as burgers, but he says it is his favourite cod and chips which are by a long margin the big sellers. So what is the secret to a good portion of chips? “You need fresh oil, that is important, and we always use fresh fish and potato,” says Mr Singh. “We always use good stuff, and we have got a lot of experience. We get people coming from the other side of town, from places like Madeley and Dawley He has got to know many of his customers over the years. [figure caption="Battered fish is still a favourite among customers" title="CHIPS4AE02" align="right" url="/entertainment/2016/06/03/traditional-chippy-in-shropshire-is-still-frying-high/chips4ae02/" id="996583" size="100"] “Some of our customers were small children when we started out, and they are still coming to us now, and that is really nice,” says Mr Singh. Another change is that the rules are now much more stringent regarding food hygiene, and Mr Singh proudly displays his four-star rating in the window. “They are much stricter, but I think that is a good thing,” he says. He says that these days the typical customer is probably older than in years gone by, but there are still plenty of youngsters who like their fish and chips. [comments_cta] “Our customers probably do tend to be the more mature age group, but we get youngsters in here as well,” he says. “They will come in and realise that they can buy a £4 meal that will really fill them up. They can’t get that some of the big-name fast-food joints.” Indeed. Fast-food fads come and fast-foods go, but woe betide anyone who comes between and Englishman and his fish and chips.