Plaice Station batters competition to take top fish and chips title

Plaice Station is the “top plaice” in Warrington for everyone’s favourite fried food and has just scooped this year’s Best Fish and Chips award – something they’re all hugely proud of.

In April, we launched our Best of 2024 competition.

This year’s search for Warrington’s best in a whole host of categories started with hair and Kate Lucy Hair Studio was crowned our first winner quickly followed by Tomlins Bakehouse and their pies and Maisie Beck took the Best for Nails title.

The Blue Bell is officially Best for Roast Dinners, we toasted Dead Eyes for their cocktails and CJ’s Coffee House serves the town’s best breakfast.

Then we moved onto fish and chips with customers and readers sending their nominations and votes for their favourite plaice to get the perfect Friday night treat.

Voting for Warrington’s Best Beer Garden is currently taking place and we’re also looking for nominations in our latest search - Best for Fitness.

Vote for Warrington’s Best Beer Garden 2024

Nominate your favourite for Warrington’s Best for Fitness 2024

Ten fantastic fish and chip suppers in Warrington made the shortlist with Plaice Station taking this year’s coveted crown.

Kieran Sudlow is the manager of Plaice Station – the business is owned by his dad Darren.

The popular ‘plaice’ opened in May 2007 on Station Road in Padgate next to Padgate station.

The award-winning fish and chips

The family home was just a stone’s throw from the shop on Mayberry Grove and they all still live in Warrington.

Kieran, who is 27, said: “My dad used to be a joiner but he had always wanted a chippy and managed to secure Plaice Station in the beautiful home that we have.

“It’s quite a turn around from the tools he was used to but safe to say, he made a great success out of pure hard work and dedication.

“My business background has always been in catering.

READ MORE > Final journey for Plaice Station carriage

“I started helping my dad out in the early days peeling potatoes and chipping them.

“I eventually went through catering college at Warrington Collegiate then moved into restaurants and hotels.

“I managed to secure work at Manchester House with Aiden Byrne and worked with him for quite some time in Manchester and at the Church Green in Lymm.

“I had a couple of years out in Australia working as a sous chef in one of the finest hotels in the country.

“It was a prestigious “Two Hat” luxury lodge of Australia named Spicers Peak Lodge.

“I returned home and decided to take a break from fine dining and really push on with the family business.”

Plaice Station opened next to Padgate station in 2007

Kieran used to spend time cooking with his nan when he was younger and his love of creating good food grew.

He said: “I figured that if I could make money doing something I enjoyed as a hobby then I might do alright.

“It eventually became something I was passionate about which bordered on obsession at times.

“But I love it and you have to love what you’re doing in the hospitality sector.

“It’s not the easiest trade so it’s important to enjoy what you’re doing.”

The fish served at Plaice Station is haddock – an 8oz fillet covered in light and crispy batter – and chips from a farm in Ely in Cambridgeshire.

They make their own dill and parsley fish cakes as well as king prawn scampi and fresh tartare sauce and mushy peas.

After nearly two decades of serving up fish and chips to the people of Padgate and beyond, the Plaice Station menu is being revamped next week and customers can look forward to seeing some exciting new dishes on offer.

Kieran said: “At Plaice Station, we have always tried to focus on quality done consistently, however we have recently decided to take it up a notch.

“We have invested quite heavily in our kitchen and further invested in our staff, bringing in myself and another chef to start to dial up what we can do here.

“I took over as manager again at the end of last year, originally to ‘settle the ship’ but now my focus is on creating.

“We have a new menu starting next week.

“Along with the best fish and chips in Warrington, we will be offering up hand-crafted pies, an all-new British themed street food menu featuring English Muffin smash burgers and the most outrageous cheesy chips menu.

“Everything will be made in house, from pastry and bread to the sauces on the burgers.

“We really want to create a new food scene here in Warrington - step out of our comfort zone and push on.”

The mushy peas and tartare sauce is made on site

Homemade products are at the forefront of everything they do at Plaice Station with a focus on quality.

Kieran said: “I think what makes us successful is how we’re moving away from how fish and chips shops have always been.

“It’s clear the time and effort we have put into developing the business and our customers are enjoying it.

“Making sure all the small parts are done as well as possible ensures a great final product.

“We’re a family-run business - my dad is the owner and takes care of things behind the scenes, making sure we’re all hitting targets and I’m in charge of the day-to-day running of the shop.

“It’s this teamwork that helps drive us forward.

“Karan is my dad’s fiancée and she does a great job frying and looking after front of house.”

What do the customers think of Plaice Station? Why do they think they deserve to win our latest award?

One nomination said: “Homemade food and good friendly service.”

Another said: “Fantastic food that’s always freshly served.

“It’s a family run business and the staff are fantastic.”

Winning Warrington’s Best for Fish and Chips 2024 came in the week the family had to call time on their plans to turn a train carriage into a dining area – an ambitious vision that they’d all tried for several years to turn into reality.

READ MORE:

Watch: Vintage rail carriage leaves Plaice Station chippy for the last time

Kieran said: “Getting lovely comments from customers is always nice and seeing so many regular faces - some go as far back as out first opening is fantastic.

“It was great to see that we’d made the shortlist for Warrington’s Best for Fish and Chips this year.

“The business has had a tough few years, so to be recognised in this way was really nice.

“It makes all the hard work worth it.

“To hear that we’d won was brilliant.

“We’re so happy and feel a big sense of pride to be back where we want to be.

“The news came at the perfect time for us as we were a little low on morale having come to terms with letting go of our projected dining area so this was a real boost for everyone.

“The support from our customers has been overwhelming.

“We really can’t thank them enough - they’re a fantastic bunch of people who come in every week and continue to show us so much support.

“It’s crazy to think we have been open 17 years, seen two recessions, a global pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis

“We really wouldn’t have survived without our customers so a huge thank you to everyone.

“A massive thank you to our hardworking staff as well – we really can’t do any of this without them.”