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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Manchester firefighter surprises partner with proposal during new recruits parade
Danny Jones
We’re a sucker for a wholesome little video as we know you are, which is exactly why we thought of you lot when we came across this video of a newly graduated Manchester firefighter surprising his partner with a heartwarming proposal.
Just the kind of heartwarming that usually sets us off after a long week at work.
The clip shared by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) on Thursday, 25 April, shows Manc fireman James popping the question to his girlfriend sat unassumingly in the audience at a recent passing out ceremony.
Pass out ceremonies are when trainees go from recruits to fully qualified firefighters after completing their intensive operational training. It’s a long-standing tradition in the emergency services where friends and family gather to celebrate their achievements – it’s almost like it’s the perfect opportunity…
As you can see, since the graduates are usually the centre of attention, James couldn’t help but size his moment and instead of walking and lining up normally like everyone else, he decided to head straight over to his wife-to-be and get down on one knee.
You already know the rest.
Welling up immediately and barely able to remove her hands from her face, Melissa nods and says yes as the crowd cheers and the pair share a smooch.
Writing on social media, the GMFRS said: “We managed to capture a VERY special moment at our new recruits pass out parade today… Congratulations to James and Melissa!”, adding, “Certainly one way to start your new career”.
If we don’t see all the groomsmen dressed as firefighters on a random viral video sometime soon we’re going to be gutted.
All the best to the happy couple and if you’ve got any more lovely clips like this to send in so we can make ourselves cry (in a good way), you know what to do.
Featured Images — Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
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The Chestergate pub in Stockport is at it again with some of the most wonderfully Manc scenes you’ll ever see
Danny Jones
The legendary Chestergate pub in Stockport is back with another belter of a video, following on from their viral belly-flashing clip of 2022.
The Mersey Square boozer has painted yet another quintessentially Northern depiction of UK pub culture with the latest Manc scenes they’ve captured around the karaoke machine.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of stumbling into The Chestergate in Stockport town centre, the long-standing boozer currently operated by publican chain Blind Tiger Inns, you’re seriously missing out.
While it might not be the flashiest of pubs, when it comes to entertainment, it always delivers.
Whether it’s stunts like renaming themselves ‘The Southgate’ whenever the Euros or World Cup rolls around, or the locals just genuinely having a whale of a time no matter what day of the week it is, it really sums up the best of pub culture.
The Chestergate went viral for some of the most British footage ever caught on film back in 2022 and the videos saw a huge wave of love and support flooding in for the pub, as well as a healthy amount of chuckles. Safe to say we were chuffed to see them pop back up on our feed again recently.
Karaoke night at The Chestergate literally never disappoints.
Forget ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ or ‘Champagne Supernova’ for karaoke songs – we’ll take a cacophony of inaudible throwback pop music, whilst another bloke and his hype man try and MC over a totally ill-fitting beat any day of the week.
And that’s handy because you’ll find those kinds of shenanigans happening at this place all the time.
It’s simultaneously one of the most no-nonsense and somehow a non-stop shenanigan-filled paradise. They also look after their own and consider their regulars part of the family. Case and point: they threw their very own ‘Dancing Queen’ Molly a big bash for her 86th birthday and it’s such wholesome viewing.
At this point, it’s worth flagging that we have nothing but envy for these folks and anyone who’s just out there having the time of their lives on any random weeknight.
Yes, it produced plenty of laughs for those watching online in recent times but this lot won’t mind one bit – not only is the pub seeing more and more new faces through the door but that’s the whole point of a pub, isn’t it? Going for a pint with your nearest and dearest and having a laugh.
Not only is it very Manchester but it’s Britain at its very best.
We hope to see you at The Chestergate pub in Stockport for a pint or two sometime soon and we’re making a bit of a prat of ourselves, don’t worry, we’re sure they’ll have the cameras ready for you.