We visit the Sussex fish and chip shop that's possibly the best in the UK

Run for all that time by the Rance family, this well-known chippy is as beloved by its long-time regulars as it is an ever-growing base of new faces.

Perhaps the measure of its success is the constant stream of awards it has won over the decades, the latest of which was a Blue Ribbon accolade from the Good Food Network at the end of last year.

The award organisers said: “Chosen for their food quality, service and value, our prestigious Blue Ribbon is bestowed upon those with high customer ratings/votes and is known as – the Blue Ribbon for Delicious Dishes.”

Adam and Becky Rance, who own the business, invited me along to hear about Chipwick’s legacy and its plans for the future, as well as try some of the food that keeps people coming back for more.

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What struck me first is how welcoming they were and how lovely the place looked. Not just your ordinary chippy, this is also a licensed dine-in restaurant which has tasteful modern décor. On a cold, wintery January lunchtime, a cosy booth in the 2017-extended part of the restaurant was an inviting place to be.

Adam and Becky bought the business from his parents Jeffrey and Sandra in 2003, who had owned it since 1981. The couple had already been running it before Adam’s parents retired, and knew the business inside out. Their focus was on continuing the legacy of quality food, as well as expanding the business.

In more recent years their children Beth and Ollie have started working there, becoming the third generation of Rances in the family trade.

Adam believes the secret to Chipwick’s longevity and success is the fresh, high-quality produce they use and the way it is cooked. Unlike most other chippies they use fresh oil every day, and they only buy line-caught fish, which lends itself to white, flaky fish as it hasn’t been squashed at the bottom of a huge deep-sea fishing net. They also have state-of-the-art new range ovens which can cook the fish at a higher temperature to avoid it absorbing too much oil, keeping it light and not greasy.

He added: “The thing I love about selling fish and chips is that there is nothing to hide behind. Everyone in the UK is a fish and chip expert. Everyone knows the difference between good and bad fish and chips. So when you’re doing products that get really good ratings, you know you’re doing a really good job. We take real pride in the fact our ratings are so good, and the fact we get emails and feedback from customers that’s so positive.”

The couple like to check the quality of their food by visiting a local fish and chip shop wherever they go in the UK. And they are unashamed about saying apart from one chippy in the New Forest, they haven’t found anywhere that sells fish and chips as good as their own.

It’s clear to see how passionate the family are about the business as they all talk about it with such enthusiasm. And Becky and Beth literally wear their pride as a badge of honour, having both had the Chipwick logo tattooed on the inside of their wrists.

Adam said the family have naturally adopted roles in the business, with Becky and Beth both loving being front-of-house and building a rapport with their customers, while Ollie looks after the kitchen team and Adam takes on a lot of the business and tech side.

The adoption of modern technology is part of the reason why the business continues to be driven forward, with a touch-screen order point added into the restaurant, an in-house run delivery service and click-and-collect options available, and a new Chipwick app that launched last year.

The family hopes to expand even further in 2025, with the possible addition of another delivery van and plans to host team-building lunches for local businesses.

That’s on top of the party ordering service they already offer, the weddings they cater, the lunches they provide to nursing homes in need and the special low-cost lunch offers they’ve introduced. Alongside a rotating specials menu, which offers dishes like whole wing of skate and whole local Dover sole, they even have their own craft beer called Codfather!

Becky said: “It’s really lovely to own and run a business that you’re super proud of. When we take on staff, I always tell them that they will work really hard but the best thing about the job is that the product you’re serving, 99.9 per cent of the time people are going to say it’s amazing which is a huge thing in hospitality.”

And I can confirm that the product is great. The team kindly fed me their lightly battered cod, which was beautifully white and flaky and oh so fresh, along with grilled scallops and their delicious chips, all rounded off with homemade tartar sauce. As far as lunches go, it was pretty hard to beat and I can see why people return again and again.

Chipwick, at 94 Brighton Road, is open Tuesday to Friday, midday to 3pm and 5pm to 9pm; Saturdays, midday to 9pm; and Sundays, midday to 6.30pm. See https://chipwick.co.uk/

*Sussex World readers can enjoy a 10% discount on click and collect or delivery food when ordered online. visit www.chipwick.co.uk and use the code LuvChipwick10% – valid until February 27.