The National Fish and Chip Awards – General Rules

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THESE RULES CAREFULLY

Promoter

The promoter of the 2023 National Fish & Chip Awards is The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), 4 Greenwood Mount, Meanwood, Leeds LS6 4LQ.

Who can enter?

The National Fish & Chip Awards are open to all bona fide fish and chip and foodservice businesses in the United Kingdom. Further details of eligibility for each award category are contained in the entry criteria for the respective category. The NFFF reserves the right to disqualify, at any time, any entrant shown to have provided false information. Persons who have been declared bankrupt or businesses that have been previously liquidated cannot take any part in the awards, or management of the awards, without the permission of the promoter. A Companies House credit check may be undertaken on businesses at any time throughout the awards process.  

NFFF Board Members or their immediate families (Parents, siblings, Spouses, children etc) are excluded from entering the awards whilst serving on the board and for the following two years awards. This excludes the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year category, as this category is run and overseen independently by Drywite and we feel it is important all young people in the industry deserve the opportunity to enter.

How to Enter

Closing dates for the submission of completed entries will vary per award category – please check the entry details for each award category for the respective closing date. All entrants will complete an online entry form along with a small selection of digital photographs of the business entered and some supporting documentation if/where requested. It is the responsibility of an entrant to ensure that completed entry forms are submitted to the NFFF before the respective closing date. Entries received after the closing date will not be eligible for consideration.

Judging

For each award category, an industry judging panel, comprising a variety of senior representatives from across the fish and chip and foodservice sectors will appraise and score all submitted entries, in order to determine an initial shortlist for a respective award category. Certain award categories may have a number of shortlist stages.

Shortlisted businesses may subsequently receive mystery dining visits or in-house judging visits – such businesses will be assessed by a NFFF appointed assessor who will conduct an un-announced judging of respective premises/outlets, including the mystery tasting/testing of products. These premises/outlets will be visited by the respective assessor on an un-announced date, during a set judging period.  There may also be a zoom interview round in some categories.

 These judging stages will determine the successful businesses in each award category that will go on to attend the national awards ceremony to be held in London in February 2024

The Finals – February 2024

Finalists in respective award categories will be invited to the national final awards ceremony which will be held in London in February 2024.

Endorsement

All winners of an award in a respective year cannot promote or endorse any other related business as being a winner in this category. An award is bestowed upon an individual business and should not be associated with other businesses, or branches, belonging to the owner of a winning business. Failure to comply with this rule would result in exclusion from the current and following years of the awards.

Logo use

Shortlisted businesses, category finalists and category winners will be issued with the relevant logos. Logos must be used in line with the guidelines.  

PR

Publicity for the awards will be organised by NFFF and any press release embargoes set by the NFFF, or their appointed public relations agency must be adhered to by all participating businesses. Photography submitted by entrants may be used by the NFFF for publicity purposes – to promote shortlisted businesses and the wider awards. Only submitted photography showing business exteriors and customer areas would be used in such instances.

Sale of Business

If a business is put on the market for sale in the year of the 2024 Awards, between 27 June 2023 and 28 February 2024, it must be withdrawn from the competition immediately.

Current Winners

The current winner of any 2023 award category is not eligible to enter the same category in this year’s 2024 awards.

Winners’ Commitment

The winner of an award agrees to commit to supporting, promoting, and publicising the award and the fact that they are a winner, in the year after their victory and in their role of winner, may be required to attend a small number of NFFF organised events throughout the year of their success.

Changes

Any changes to specific dates as detailed above will be notified on the awards website. All information is deemed to be correct at time of publishing.

Results Announcements

All category results will be publicised on the awards website only, throughout the competition year.  The results are embargoed until the NFFF release the results officially and media outlets breaking the embargo may find themselves excluded from future announcements.

Feedback

All competition feedback, where it is given, will be distributed digitally. Upon receipt of feedback no further correspondence will be entered into. Feedback reports will be issued after the awards ceremony, up until the 30th April 2024

Decisions

The decision of the judges is final and made public in the competition rules. Should there be any case for appeal, an application in writing must be made, within 28 days of receipt of any feedback report, to awards@NFFF.co.uk

Each appeal will be administered and replied to within 28 days after receipt.

National Fish & Chip Awards

National Federation of Fish Friers
4 Greenwood Mount
Meanwood
Leeds
LS6 4LQ
theFishandChipAwards.com