Hundreds queue for Good Friday fish and chips in North East
Hundreds have queued for fish and chips at a famous restaurant which counts Hilary Clinton and James Corden as customers.
Families waited in line for up to an hour to get their hands on a Good Friday meal from hugely popular Colmans Fish and Chips, in South Shields, South Tyneside.
Alan Thomas, 62, a manager at the renowned chippy, said: “We are going to sell thousands of portions today.
“We have the longest queue outside. It stretches down the street.
“People wait for hours to get their hands on our fish and chips. They wait for the best, it’s good quality.
“Good Friday is always busy. We have all hands on deck and we spent yesterday prepping.
“We have been open for 99 years, it’s a family occasion.
“We’re onto our fifth generation of ownership.
“Locals who come with their families today used to come here when they were little.”
A portion of fish and chips at the restaurant is priced at Β£11.
Alan added: “We haven’t put our prices up this year, although everything has gone up.
“The cost of fish, potatoes, oil, electricity and wages have all increased.”
Colmans is famous in the region for its cod and chips and has been visited by a host of well-known customers such as David Milliband and Tony Blair.
Hilary Clinton visited in 2022 and earlier this year Gavin and Stacey star James Corden popped in for a chippy tea.Β
The shop started as a shack on the beach in 1905 and has grown into a thriving business which remains in the same family to this day.
About 200 people queued this lunchtime for a meal.Β
Andrew Stephenson, 50, waited for an hour to get his hands on a portion of fish and chips with mushy peas.
The former soldier said: “I wanted to be the first customer, so I got here really early.
“I always come here on Good Friday, and I get here to beat the crowds.
“There’s always a massive queue outside right down the road.
“It’s a tradition. They have the best fish and chips.”
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Chris Stonehouse, 42, and Tracy Stonehouse, 39, brought kids Courtney, 23, a shop assistant and Jake, 20, a welder to the takeaway.
Tracy, a press operator, said: “You have to have fish and chips on Good Friday.
“We always come out for them, it’s a family tradition.
“I always came out with my mam on Good Friday. We paid around Β£30 for two fish and chips and a sausage.”
(Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) (Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) (Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) (Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) (Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) Chris, a painter, added: “We’ve passed the tradition onto our kids.
“We come here every year and will be back for years to come.”
(Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) (Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) (Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) (Image: Raoul Dixon / NNP) (Image: The Northern Echo) (Image: The Northern Echo)
James Maxwell, 71, a retired warehouse operator picked up three portions of fish and chips for Β£45.
He said: “I’ve been coming here for years on Good Friday.
“I have picked up fish and chips for the family. We always come here, it’s a tradition.
“It’s multi-generational. I came here when I was younger, and now I bring my kids.”
Elsewhere in the region, people could be seen queuing in Seaham as many went to the award-winning Bells and Downeys to grab their traditional Good Friday staple.Β