Today, Friday, June 4 marks the sixth National Fish and Chip Day in the United Kingdom.
The holiday was first organised by The National Edible Oil Distributors’ Association (NEODA) and, according to their website, is about “giving fish and chips the recognition it deserves and helping to secure its position in the eyes of both consumers and the media as the nation’s favourite dish.”
The celebration of the nation’s favourite dish will bring together everyone involved in creating this iconic British dish; from Fish & Chip shops, pub chains, restaurants, retailers, to the fishermen and farmers who provide the sustainable and natural ingredients needed to create this family favourite.
Despite 2020 being a year like no other, this amazing industry, who are at the centre of every community, adapted the way they operate to ensure they could continue to keep the nation fed, just as they did during two world wars. National Fish and Chip Day 2020 saw people across the country coming together to celebrate their love of fish and chips and TV, radio, newspaper and social media was buzzing with stories! The #nationalfishandchipday hashtag was trending all day long.
Speaking about this year’s event, NEODA President, Gary Lewis said “National Fish and Chip Day 2020 was always going to be very different to previous years and none of us really knew what to expect. The focus this year was very much on the resilience of the fish and chip sector and wow…did that shine through on the day! We were completely bowled over by the number of shops, both those who have previously celebrated the day with us, but especially the many new shops, who got involved in any way they could. National and Regional media – TV, Radio and newspapers – were awash with stories of how shops were celebrating the day and social media was full of amazing competitions, activities and photos – exactly what National Fish and Chip Day is all about! We are delighted that so many shops, hard hit by the pandemic, embraced their special day and threw everything they had at it! No matter what unfolds in the coming months, fish and chips will remain at the centre of every community and we are delighted to be able to bring this very special awareness day to the nation again in 2021.”
