It’s been the subject of fierce debate for many years, but what exactly is a bread roll stuffed with chips inside actually called?
Is it a chip cob, a chip barm, a chip roll, a chip sandwich, or something else entirely?
There’s plenty of different regional names for the delicacy, but today – on what is National Fish & Chip Day 2020 – Britain has spoken, and for the firs time, the correct name for this legendary culinary delight can be revealed.
Bosses at takeaway delivery app Foodhub have been scratching their heads like the rest of the country over the delicious dilemma, so to put an end to the arguments, they surveyed the nation to find out the answer to the question that all food fans have been discussing, debating and fighting about for ages.
After much deliberation and a painstaking count of the votes, Foodhub has officially declared the king of takeaway snacks as the ‘Chip Butty’.
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According to the 2,000 takeaway fans surveyed by Foodhub in August this year, asking the hotly-debated question of chippy connoisseurs everywhere from John O’Groats to Lands End, a resounding 58% of the nation – four times more than any other option – say that chips served in a bread roll should be called a Chip Butty.
That sounds like a win for us Northerners, right?
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Dissecting the results further, Wil Chung – spokesperson for Foodhub – said: “For years, people have argued that it should be called either a chip roll, chip cob, chip barm or a myriad of other titles, but Britain has spoken, and we finally have an overwhelming consensus from the majority of the nation – it is, officially called a Chip Butty.
“The second most popular title for the Chip Butty is chip roll, with 11% of the vote. In third place is chip sandwich, with 6% of the vote, followed by a chip bap (5.75%), chip barm (4.85%) and chip cob (4%).
“There were also regional differences in opinion on this iconic water cooler debate, as you’d expect. For instance – in the North-west there was very little in it between Chip Butty and Chip Barm, Chip Butty winning the vote by just 2%. In London, while Chip Butty was favourite, Chip Roll was also up there with more than 1 in 5 people opting for that choice, and in the East Midlands around Leicester and Nottingham, while Chip Butty took the most votes, chip cob was a close second with almost 3 in every 10 people opting for that title.”
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One other thing that is certain, Britain is still very much in love with the classic fish and chips, but across the regions though, there are again some differences in how we like to eat it.
Salt and Vinegar is the overwhelming choice when choosing toppings for the nation’s favourite meal. In the North West, mushy peas (57%) and gravy (24%) feature highly on fish and chips fans must-haves agenda, in London, mayonnaise (25%) and curry sauce (24%) are the big condiment choice.
The nation is also split about how best to eat fish and chips, with 33% saying they prefer to eat it from the paper and 35% saying they’d rather eat it from a plate. Some 44% of us eat our fish and chips with a traditional knife and fork, though almost one in five of us like to eat it with an iconic chippy-style wooden fork.
When it comes to fish itself, a medium sized, lightly battered cod fillet with a medium-sized portion of chunky chips is overwhelmingly the nation’s favourite.
Whatever way, it all tastes like a Friday to us – enjoy your National Fish & Chips Day, Manchester.
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A Greater Manchester campaigner is calling on the government to get rid of VAT on energy bills
Danny Jones
With the colder months now well and truly upon us, a local campaigner is calling on the UK government to scrap VAT on energy bills across the country.
The nation is still in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and besides grocery shopping, business rates and eating out still climbing, one of the biggest hits to the wallet continues to be at home, thanks to the cost of gas and electricity.
With that in mind, and as we approach the ever-challenging festive period when purse strings feel tighter than ever, industry expert and Bolton-born entrepreneur Corin Dalby is making a fresh push for crucial aid and urging Brits to put digital pen to paper.
Sharing the petition link on social media – which has been taken up by more than 42,000 people online – Dalby is asking others who believe domestic residents deserve a much-needed let-off to sign the Change.org document and help scrap VAT on energy bills in the UK.
Introducing himself and the idea in the description beneath the petition, the Greater Manchester native writes: “My name is Corin Dalby, and last year I successfully campaigned for hospices in the UK to receive an extra £100 million of government funding, with the support of 37,254 signatures.
“Now I’m calling on the Government to axe the 5% VAT we are all forced to pay on our energy bills.”
Dalby, 56, is the co-founder and CEO of non-profit energy company, Box Power CIC (community interest company), and has seen significant money from FCA fines go towards palliative care facilities since December last year.
Pointing out that the current energy secretary and former Prime Ministerial candidate, Ed Miliband, has previously hinted that his party would be open to this possibility, he goes on to add: “It’s vital that we hold them to this, to bring some much-needed relief to millions of households.”
While the initial goal aligned with the hope of getting enough signatures to put this bill forward in time for the most recent Labour budget (revealed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday, 26 November), the initiative could still provide vital support this winter – especially for those worst off.
As mentioned, the 2025 autumn statement has now been shared publicly following some early leaks, and despite including positives like a lift on minimum wage, as well as benefit increases, there have been much bigger reactions to aspects such as the hits being taken by pensioners and more.
The 2025 autumn budget has been largely underpinned by raising taxes by an estimated £26 billion.
If anything, the announcement has made the plea from Dalby and those in agreement more poignant than ever – and there are, indeed, plenty of people in his camp.
Sharing his most recent update back in October on social media, Corin said: “Overjoyed to see 20,000 signatures in just 3 hours.
“Scrapping the 5% VAT will directly save every hospice [an area he’s already successfully advocated for in the past], house and care home in the country, so who will help us to knock this out of the park and help the most vulnerable in our country and quickly smash 100,000?
“If you wish to help make a difference, please support this petition by just adding your name and [circulating] to like-minded contacts and repost this if possible.”
If you agree with the petition, you can sign via the official Change.org link right HERE.
Global sensation Eggslut is FINALLY coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
After waiting what feels like a lifetime, worldwide viral sensation Eggslut is at long last coming to Manchester city centre.
Cracking news (sorry not sorry).
Honestly, there aren’t many big-name food chains that we’ve been waiting to arrive in Manchester longer than Eggslut, which started as little more than a food truck in LA and has gone on to become a truly global giant in the culinary scene.
Set to pop up at Centurion House over on Deansgate, which backs onto Lincoln Square, Eggslut is scheduled to make its Manchester debut very soon.
Literally drooling at the mere thought more than those drips. (Credit: Publicity pictures)
I mean, LOOK at it. Class, just class…
Aiming to launch in the new year, Manc foodies who have been clamouring for the brand’s arrival for more than a decade now will soon be able to get their chops around fan favourites and internet-famous items like the ‘Fairfax’ and ‘Gaucho’ sandwiches, as well as the standard but signature ‘Slut’.
Oh, and yes: having tried various parts of the menu down in London, we can assure you they are just as naughty as they sound – especially those truffle hash browns and those new dippy French toast sticks, which we cannot wait to sample for ourselves.
The video of founder Alvin Cailan talking us through the story behind Eggslut and the secret ‘off-menu’ special order that was so good that people just couldn’t stop forcing it into the mainstream is still one of our most-watched videos of all time.
Not only is this the eighth UK location, but Manchester will also be the first venue in the country outside of the capital.
With the first CGIs of the space having now been shared with the ravenous masses, we confirm it is set to take the place of the existing Starbucks site at the base of the Bruntwood SciTech building.
You can see more down below:
Credit: Supplied
Head of Operations at Eggslut, Pedro Ribeiro, says of the impending opening: “Manchester has been crying out for an Eggslut for too long, and we were only too happy to make that dream a reality.
“The city is the perfect place to bring our kind of breakfast to a brand new area of the UK, and we cannot wait to join such a fast-paced and buzzing food scene.”
Matt Pazos, as for Bruntwood SciTech‘s Retail Commercial Manager, Matt Pazoz, he commented on them taking up residence here: “We’re delighted to be welcoming the first Eggslut outside of London to Manchester and can’t wait for the team to crack open their doors on Deansgate.
“The brand has built a cult following thanks to their delicious chef-driven comfort food, and we know that it will fast become a go-to spot for businesses based in Centurion House as well as locals and visitors to the city.”
Coming to a mouth near you by the end of January 2026.