A Cumbrian fish and chip shop has been named among the top 50 in the country.

Shap Chippy made the list of recommended takeaways following spot-checks on aspects including the crispiness of its batter and fluffiness of its chips.

The specialist Fry Magazine highlighted the chip shop, which reopened under new ownership in 2013 and has since received acclaim by experts.

Jo Hampson, co-owner, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be in the top 50.

“Out of 10,500 chippies in the UK, that’s not bad.”

Mystery diners were sent to each shop and assessed a range of front-of-house aspects.

These included staff friendliness, cleanliness of the takeaway and how knowledgeable staff were about the products on offer.

Points were also awarded for the quality of the food.

Everything was critiqued, from the crispness of the batter, to the size and fluffiness of the inside of chips, to the flakiness and texture of the fish.

Fellow owner Georgina Perkins added: “A mystery shop report is quite scary. But knowing we got over 96 per cent – and 100 per cent for all aspects of the quality of our food – fish, batter and chips – is very pleasing.

“We have a great team.”

Reece Head, competition organiser, added: “There are a lot of different facets to running a fish and chip takeaway.

“Those shops that have made the list go over and above the everyday requirements.”

He added they delivered “exceptional food matched with an equal level of service and atmosphere”.

“It could be just a tiny detail that separates those shops that did make the list from those that didn’t,” he added.

“For example, the fact that staff wear a name badge or have a menu board on display detailing where the shop’s fish and potatoes are sourced.

“But it’s these little details that can make a big difference.

“We believe those shops investing that extra time, effort and training deserve to be recognised for their achievements.”

All 50 takeaways received a certificate to display in their shop and an A2 window poster detailing their achievement.

Every entrant is sent a copy of their mystery dining sheet, providing valuable feedback and a chance for operators to improve their business.

Mr Head added: “We would like to congratulate all those shops that made our top 50.

“We know it’s a tough set of criteria our judges lay down.

“So it takes a lot of hard work, dedication and passion to ensure staff perform day-in-day-out in order to impress our judges when they come in unannounced.”

Since Shap Chippy’s rebirth the place has received numerous accolades.

It acquired the Quality Award of the National Federation of Fish Fryers.

And during the Potato Council’s Chip Week it won an award for having the ‘best chippy chips’ in Cumbria.

When taking over the shop, the co-owners had to gut and re-roof the building.

They were complete novices, so attended a fish friers’ and managers’ course to learn the business.