The owners of a family-owned traditional fish and chip shop are celebrating their latest top hygiene rating after 38 years of ‘outstanding’ service.

Skippers Fish and Chips, located on Yorktown Road in College Town, Sandhurst, was opened on March 3, 1986, by husband and wife Alan and Wendy Hill.

Over the last three decades within the community, the traditional eatery has maintained its top food hygiene rating and customer satisfaction.

Alan expressed his joy at having gained another five-star food hygiene rating after their inspection on February 13, 2024.

He said: “We started this fish and chip shop alongside our shops in Dorking and Reading in 1986 and since then we have maintained the highest standards. Although the other stores have closed down since due to different reasons we have kept this one strong through all the challenges.

“We’ve always been a valued fish and chip shop within the local community and the support we’ve had through the years has been amazing.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work but I believe the reason we have been so successful is because people know us and trust us.”

Both Alan and Wendy have said that over the years they have seen more competition across the area, with a vast selection of food available in Sandhurst to choose from.

As with a lot of traditional fish and chip shops, they have changed very little over the years and aim to carry on exactly as they have done in the past.

During the food standards inspection, they were praised for their hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of facilities, and their management of food safety.

Over the years, they have come up against many challenges as a business which has made them adapt to their environment.

Alan said that the coronavirus pandemic made them change their mindset on opening hours. Instead of a late closing time, the chippy is now serving the same number of people in less time saving them money on energy costs.

In 2008 they were forced to lay off their employee and have since been running the eatery on their own, with some help from the extended family.

Both in their 60s, Alana and Wendy told the News that they have no plans to retire or close the fish and chip shop in the near future.