A CLEVELEYS chip shop has beaten stiff competition to win the Citizen Chip Shop of the Year award - and it has yet to celebrate its first birthday! Victoria Fish and Chips, Victoria Road West, has proved to the Fylde that it serves great food - and with excellent service. Owner Richard Holliday, who opened for business last July, ensures all his food is freshly prepared and that only the best ingredients are used.

But the food certainly doesn't stop at fish and chips, as his wife Julie explained: "Everything we cook is to order - our customers prefer it that way.

"We have a vast menu, from the traditional fish, pies and sausages, to the more unusual, for instance battered Mars bars."

But it's not just quantity Richard and Julie want to emphasise, but the quality as well, as Richard points out: "Only the freshest ingredients are used in the shop - anything else goes straight in the bin. I used to be a sales manager before entering the catering business.

"And my experience in this field has taught me that quality and service count for a lot.

Julie explained: "Our customers are the most important people here and they deserve the best.

"We often have a chat with our customers which we think is an important part of the service.

"And I think that is why we've beaten chip shops that have been around a long time."

Richard added: "Its good to win competitions like this, not just for business, but for morale as well. I hope we will go on to win others."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.