Cromars are frying the flag for Scotland!

The shop was up against nine other finalists from across the UK to try and win the national award as the best in the UK but narrowly lost out to Simpsons Fish and Chips in Cheltenham.

Headed up by chef/proprietor Colin Cromar and his business partner William Frame, Cromars has been in business for less than three years.

But in that time it has been crowned Takeaway of the Year in the Scottish Food Awards, and was in the national top three last year in the Fish and Chip Shop Restaurant of the Year Awards, organised by the Seafish Authority.

Cromars was hoping to go one better this year in these same Seafish Authority Awards, held in London’s Lancaster Hotel on Wednesday. Colin said ahead of the ceremony: “It’s the one everyone wants to win, the big one that counts the most. It’s very much a team effort for and I want to thank my staff who put the hard work and dedication into Cromars every day.”

“We finished in the top three last year for the restaurant category and this year entered the Takeaway one which in my mind is the most coveted.”

As Colin explained “Cromars is all about cooking to order; It’s something I have always done in my career and always will.

“It does take a little longer but the results are well worth it. We do consider ourselves to be the Rolls Royce of fish and chip shops - we have a very wide ranging menu, including scallops, and we use the best, premium local suppliers we can find.

“We also serve wines and champagne! We have taken a fish and chip shop to a higher level but at the end of the day it’s all about the quality of the fish and chips – you can’t have style over substance!”

The awards recognise and reward businesses producing the best fish and chips in the UK.

Colin also paid tribute to the many award winning food businesses in St Andrews at the moment. “The town is becoming something of a foodie mecca. It’s great for the whole area and we do benefit enormously from the cosmopolitan feel St Andrews has with so many visitors and people staying here from all over the world. I think many of the restaurants and artisan suppliers here are aware that we have a real opportunity to shine, but we have to keep standards high.”

For further details on Cromars check out the new website at www.cromars.co.uk or call William 07836 381434 or 01764 650303.