We're asking you to vote for your favourite chippy. We have teamed up with Holland’s Pies and our 22 sister weekly papers in MEN Media to find the Chippy of the Year.

The top three local chippies will go forward to the Wilmslow Express final, the winner of which will make it to the overall final, the ‘Chippy Champions League’, at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival in October.

The Great British love affair with fish and chips started in the early 19th century, but it wasn’t until 1860 when battered fish and chips were actually sold together.

Today, a century and a half later, fish and chips remain firmly the UK’s favourite fast food, outselling all other takeaways put together.

And one of the most enduring eateries in the town is currently a front runner to scoop the Macclesfield Express Chippy of the Year 2010.

Waters Green Fish Bar and its popular owner Tele Anastasi bounced back after a torrid year when the shop caught fire on April 2, 2009.

But following an extensive refurbishment after the devastating blaze, Waters Green Fish Bar flung open its doors in June.

And now Tele, of Broken Cross, hopes to crown a tough year with the Express’s chip shop award.

He said: "I didn’t know anything about the competition until we had customers coming in saying ‘we’ve already sent our coupons off’.

"It would mean a lot to us, especially after being closed for a year. We’re going to put a lot of posters up and we’re asking everyone who comes in to support us.

"I’m going to enter a national chip shop competition but with us being in Macclesfield, this award would be the one that matters."

Tele has run the chip shop on Waters Green for the past 26 years but says chips have been feeding hungry Maxonians there since 1940.

But what keeps people coming back for more and just why do we love our fish and chips?

"You can’t beat them," said Tele. "Fresh chips and fresh fish, simply cooked and just done in batter."

To vote for your favourite chippy in Macclesfield, fill in the coupon in the Express and post it to us by noon on Friday, September 17, or email us at macclesfieldexpress@menmedia.co.uk .

A team of mystery judges will visit the top three chippies to decide the winner, who will then be pitted against the winners from MEN Media’s 22 sister weekly newspapers to battle for the overall title.

THE RULES

  • You can vote for any takeaway food outlet in Macclesfield as long as it sells fish and chips.
  • All ‘chippies’ are automatically entered.
  • To vote simply fill in the coupon in the Express and post it to us by no later than noon on Friday, September 17, or e-mail macclesfieldexpress@menmedia.co.uk .
  • Once all the votes are counted the three chippies with the most votes will be revealed.
  • A team of mystery judges will then visit each of the chippies and mark them to determine Macclesfield’s Chippy of the Year for 2010.
  • The winner will then be announced in the Macclesfield Express.
  • The winner will then be pitted against winners from the Express’s sister titles in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and Derbyshire.
  • A text vote will then decide the overall MEN Media Chippy of the Year for 2010.
  • The overall winner will be revealed at this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival in October.

Terms and Conditions

Employees of Trinity Mirror and Holland’s Pies are not permitted to vote. The prize is as stated and is non-transferable. Qualifying establishments must sell fish and chips. Tickets for the MFDF gala dinner are non-transferable. Usual MEN Media rules apply.