Over-Hyped and Over Here (Harry Ramsdens in general)

Member Name: DavidJWest

Product:	Harry Ramsdens in general
Date:	02/02/02 (699 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good food

Disadvantages: Too expensive, Tourists

Harry Ramsdens is listed in the Guiness Book of Records as the busiest fish and chip shop in the world. It also has a reputation as being the best in the country which as a local living about a mile from the place I find hard to believe.

Harry started his business in 1928 from a small hut in Guiseley (on the main A68 from Leeds to Ilkley) and went from strength to strength. Not everyone in Guiseley lives in small huts today, some of us have big huts!

The actual record for most portions of fish and chips sold in a day was set in 1996 by Harry's branch in Melbourne Australia, just over 12,000 servings. This is strange as their website doesn't show this outlet on the world map.

Many famous people have visited the Guiseley outlet, including most notably Jimi Hendrix. The the other "stars" are either locals or Tory Politicians, probably trying to prove to the unwashed how working class they are by eating this type of food.

There are now about 40 establishments mainly in the UK but more exotic locations include Singapore and Jeddah which are on the map.

The Guiseley outlet I found modest first time I visited it as it isn't exactly massive, the shop front is about 150 feet long and set back from the road so you could miss it driving past. There is a petrol station next door if you do want a landmark to aim for, and it has a small roundabout close by on the main road.

The car park is large but you do find in summer especially the place is packed. YOu can easily queue for half an hour or more before being seated by the very attentive staff, dressed in their rather old fashioned uniforms.

The food itself is very good, the batter being made to a special recipe which is a guarded secret. It doesn't taste particularly different to me but does seem to be crispier than normal. The fish is very good quality and the potatoes used for the chips are excellent, in fact the chips are my fav
ourite thing here.

The menu is very extensive for this kind of restaurant and you can have wine or beer with your order. If you don't like fish and chips (what are you doing here?) there are plenty of other things to choose from.

But the big let-down for me is the price, no doubt racked up with all the paraphanalia on display and the fact that you are paying for the name. The cheapest fish and chip item on the menu was £5.90 last time I went and £8.50 for a special which is a larger piece of fish.

It is worth visiting once for the experience, the place seems to cater more for tourists rather than the locals such as I. I prefer Murgatroyds, about 2 miles away near Leeds Bradford Airport. The food is just about as good for little over half the price. I would rate 3 and a half stars but it didn't let me!

Another chip shop just down the road from me, the Westfield, won the award for Best Fish and Chip Shop in Leeds for 2001, sorry Harry!

Thanks to the website for some of the information in my piece, www.harryramsden.co.uk

Some interesting facts and a menu on there if you are bored!

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