A PETTS Wood chippy has been named one of the top 50 fish and chip shops in the UK.

The Village Fish and Chips, in Petts Wood Road, was the only restaurant in Kent to make Fry Magazine’s list based on the findings of mystery shoppers.

The mysterious diner rated the The Village 96 per cent overall, and said: “It was the best fish and chips I have tasted in a long time.”

Owner Andy Pybus inherited a very good restaurant in January when he took over the former McDermotts in Petts Wood Road, but has worked to make it even better.

He said: “When we took over the shop the reputation for the fish served was excellent but the previous owners would run out regularly leaving customers disappointed.

“This has been addressed and we always have fresh market skate, rock, line caught haddock and king prawns available"

Andy has forged a successful career publishing food trade magazines, so is well aware what makes a good restaurant.

And he is certainly passionate about fish, sourcing and preparing the best ingredients.

The fryers use ground nut oil, which is healthier and less greasy, while the cod and line-caught haddock are MSC certified and can be traced back to the boat which caught them.

He spent time perfecting the batter so it is light, chooses the best potatoes, makes the fishcakes and tartare sauce on site and gets fresh fish daily from the market.

To top it off, everything is cooked fresh to order rather than festering on a display.

Andy said he want to set an example to the industry.

He said: “We do things how they should be done. We’re an example.”

Inside the restaurant is, as described by the mystery shopper, “clean and inviting” and a fully-licensed bar makes eating in all the more tempting.

With a focus on quality, the food is inevitably a little more pricey.

The secret shopper said: “It may be more expensive but worth the extra for a treat. I would definitely recommend to others, in fact it was so good I have already telephoned my mum to recommend it!”