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fish and chip shops

Can't really remember if the chips were the best but the memory is, on the way back from my grand parents once in a while as a treat dad would stop in Northfield at a chippie a across from Woolworths chips came in a cone bag, then another place right across from Northfield swimming baths at Frankly Beeches Road we would leave the baths buy some chips and get on top of the garages at the pub and watch the people go buy while we ate, you know what they were the best chips !!!
 
Best chips I ever had? My first trip to Villa Park! We decided to walk back to Town and save the bus fare. The 2d we saved was enough to buy a portion of chips from a chippie just by Aston Cross somewhere opposite Ansells brewery. I don't remember the name of the shop but to a young lad on his first outing without adult supervision they tasted divine. During the following years we always did the same after every home match until our teens when other things such as Saturday jobs and, dare I mention it, girls, intervened. I can't remember the name of the shop but I'll never forget the taste of those after match chips and whoever had the shop, thank you.
 
This is not Birmingham but is pretty close, being about a quarter mile from the city boundary.
Adjacent to the railway line approaching Shirley railway station in Colebrook road there is a row of eight shops. I remember them prior to 1954 but Google shows me that two still have the same businesses as 1954; the others have changed. One is a newsagent the other a fish and chip shop. I initially thought it might have become an oriental take-away, but no it is still a 'chippy'. In 1952 or maybe 1953 a disgruntled customer complained. Now I don't now what discussion, if any, took place over the complaint, but I do know that the fish and chips were smeared allover the shop windows as a form of protest.
In the days before tv and the internet, this event was a big talking point far and wide.
 
Just thought of a chippie that was a good un, Vicarage Road Kings Heath right on the bend bus stop for the #11 out front, what made this place so good as you walked in on the left was a big roast pork sitting in its juice and it was warm, the lady would slice some meat and put in on a cob but would dip the top of the cob in the juice along with a bag of chips it were crackin, did just look up the place its still there called the Olympus Fish Bar now, i'm sure that pork is all sold out by now its been 45 years since I was in there last :)
 
Three great chippies that spring to mind, Barker Street (opposite Cowdrills Cycle Shop), The Chicken Inn Villa Road (Friday nights after cubs for chips, scratchings & a pickled onion) and Chris's (Aston Lane), coming home from the Villa games (win or lose) on a Saturday & sometimes midweek.

Lozellian
I to used to have chips & scratchings after cubs at Villa Road - were your cubs at the Baptist Church in Hamstead Road?
And would this have been around 1953 to 1956?
 
fish'n'chips

Hi John, i always liked the chippy in potters hill just up from the Bartons Arms,then secondly the one next to hay place by the Globe, you seemed to get more bits in theirs. Chips don't seem to have the same taste today: Maybe it was the wrapping in newspaper that added to the taste.
Hello Mick710. I used to live next door that chippy in potters lane, just up from the bartons arms. Such a lovely couple who owned it. There were occasions they would bring fish & chips around to us when they had closed. I was so upset when all those lovely houses were demolished.
 
The chippy's, I remember from the late 50's early 60's, the one on the right just down from the Royalty Cinema, and Police Station, Harborne, and the Chippy on the RHS Bristol Road, Selly Oak, opposite the "Ace of Hearts Cafe", , lovely chips and Steak and Kidney "Fleurs de lys pies". also "Tony's" Bristol Road, next to the Selly Oak Cinema. Paul
 
I remember going to a fish & chip shop on High St Aston, just above Whitehead St on the opposite side to the Orient Picture house. It may have been called Rose's...it was our moms favourite, they had the whitest fish & the chips were never soggy. There was a dining area at the back, where you could have them on a plate, nice & fresh & hot!
Dave A
 
Just thought of a chippie that was a good un, Vicarage Road Kings Heath right on the bend bus stop for the #11 out front, what made this place so good as you walked in on the left was a big roast pork sitting in its juice and it was warm, the lady would slice some meat and put in on a cob but would dip the top of the cob in the juice along with a bag of chips it were crackin, did just look up the place its still there called the Olympus Fish Bar now, i'm sure that pork is all sold out by now its been 45 years since I was in there last :)
OMG!
 
Hi Old Brit,

Although I don't Live in Brum now, I did have Fish and Chips
from the chippy at the Yew Tree about 3 years ago, and they
were just as good as I remember them in the past.

Another good chippy in the area was Lambros opposite
the old 53/54 bus terminus at the top of Bordesley Green East.

Kind regards
Dave
 
Our chippy in the 50s was "Hicky's" (Hickey's?) around a corner off Long St where we lived. I think it was in King St, but it might have been Spark St, next one down. I remember "Hicky" wore a white coat and he had a crewcut and a very thick neck. Delicious fish and chips, though, wrapped in newspaper and free "scratchings" if there were any.
 
I to used to have chips & scratchings after cubs at Villa Road - were your cubs at the Baptist Church in Hamstead Road?
And would this have been around 1953 to 1956?

Hi Rob T,

Yes mate, my cubs were indeed at the baptist church in Hamstead Road but, we used to go in via the Bonner Memorial Hall in Hunters Road. I was in the cubs a little later circa 1959-1960. British Bulldog was a great favourite at the time ha ha.

Lozellian.
 
This is not really about fish & chips...however, it has some relevance that I thought might be of interest. I live in Canada and as is normal in North America, chips are what are called crisps in the UK. There is a brand of chips called Kettle, and Costco (I know you have Costco over there) have a Kirkland Signature Krinkle Cut chip that tastes just like the chip shop chip that I remember as a kid. They appear to be be very greasy in both taste and aftertaste, even leaves a slimy greasy feeling in your mouth. It might sound gross, but they sure taste great, just sayin'.....
Dave A
 
which was the best fish and chip shop in your area we were lucky we had four in Park Lane Jones opposite the out door
Morris's next door to Dunn's the greengrocers Jelf's opposite the billiard hall and one all most next to the billiard can any remember the name of this one or was they both Jelf's
the most popular fish in my era was hake with a big bone in the middle it was called round hake
on my mom's side of the family mom's sisters had there own fish shops in Smethwick Handsworth also my Aunt Mick had a wet fish shop that supplied the fish to most of the fish shops in Smethwick and Handsworth
at most shops they gave you free scratchings some times they tasted better than the chips in my ere you could have threepenny bags and sixpenny bags the tanner was almost to much to eat it was OK if you were sharing a bag the best value (size of chip bag) was a fish and chip shop in Park Road on the way to the onion fair who owned this shop
who sold the best chips?

Gingerjon where were your chip shops situated then ?
 
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