DINERS in the Midlands are taking fish and chips upmarket, preferring to eat theirs with a knife and fork, according to a new survey commissioned by the Friers Quality Awards, which recognises shops that sell first-class fish and chips.

In a major consumer survey of buying habits at fish and chip shops, almost two-thirds (62%) of fish and chip fans in the Midlands said they would rather tuck in with a fork and knife than eat it with their fingers.

The survey also found that 85% of customers in the region would be willing to try sustainable species, such as coley or pollack, in their fish suppers.

In a nationwide survey, more than 3,200 people were asked about their preferred way to eat the country’s favourite take-away.

Londoners were most likely to be too posh to pick from the bag, with 72% stating they would rather eat their fish and chips from a plate.

They were closely followed by fish and chip fans in the South East (68%) and the Midlands (67%), who would also rather use a knife and fork.

Scots, howerver, reversed the national trend, with 60% opting to get stuck in with their fingers and eat their fish suppers straight from the bag.

The Friers Quality Awards are run by Seafish, the authority on seafood and awards shops with three, four or five stars as a mark of quality, recognising shops that serve first-class fish and chips.

For the past two years, previous winners of the national Fish & Chip Shop of the Year Competition have all been five star FQA holders.

Other findings from the survey showed:

Customers in Wales and Northern Ireland were the most likely to ask for bread and butter along with their fish and chips

Cosmopolitan fish and chip lovers in the North West of England were the biggest fans of curry sauce with their chippy

Overwhelmingly, the nation’s favourite accompaniment to fish and chips is salt and vinegar (51%) followed by tomato ketchup (15%) and mushy peas (8%)

On the flip side, consumers’ least favourite side portions were gherkins, gravy and pickled onions, which each polled just 1% of the vote

Robert Smith, owner of the five-star FQA rated Anstruther Fish Bar and current national winner of the Seafish Fish & Chip Shop of the Year Competition, said: “The way people enjoy fish and chips is always a source of great debate in the shop.

“With visitors from all over the UK and overseas we see many different trends. My personal favourite is out of the wrapping on the beach front. You can’t beat it.”

Jim Hyam, training manager at Seafish, said: “Eating fish and chips is a wonderful dining experience.

“Standards in the industry continue to improve and the Friers Quality Award star rating system shows consumers they are receiving the highest quality product and customer service.”