The Norfolk chippie has announced another new store opening just weeks after it revealed a new eatery in Holt.

Eastern Daily Press: Eric's Fish & Chip's in Thornham. Photo: Root Social.Eric's Fish & Chip's in Thornham. Photo: Root Social. (Image: Archant)

Eric's Fish and Chip shop in Thornham is making the leap further afield opening a new shop in St Ives in Cambridgeshire.

The business has gone from strength to strength having been crowned in the top five in the National Fish and Chip Awards 2019 and the top 10 best restaurants in the UK by the Fry magazine.

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Eastern Daily Press: Eric's Fish & Chip's in Thornham. Photo: Root Social.Eric's Fish & Chip's in Thornham. Photo: Root Social. (Image: Archant)

Founder Eric Snaith, said: "The main reason behind our growth is the ethos of the Eric's brand. Our vision was to deliver the nation's favourite dish to the best of our ability, focussing purely on the quality of the final product rather than the cost of producing it.

"Several loyal customers of ours at Thornham presented us with the opportunity to open a brand new site in St Ives. I was intrigued and after spending more time in St Ives and seeing the potential of a site there, I became confident that this was a great location for the next step in our growth.

"As the coast is popular for people to visit from Cambridgeshire, many people in St Ives are already customers of ours in Thornham and the feedback pre-opening has been incredible."

Eastern Daily Press: Beer battered king prawns with chips served in take away boxes at Eric's Fish and Chips shop in Thornham. Photo by Emily Revell.Beer battered king prawns with chips served in take away boxes at Eric's Fish and Chips shop in Thornham. Photo by Emily Revell. (Image: Emily Revell.)

And the problem of stretching his team across the country was an issue Mr Snaith was quick to solve.

"With any expansion comes challenges but I'm confident we've taken the necessary steps to ensure there will always be enough support available for management in each site," he said.

"Over the past twelve months we've worked to put together a strong team of operations managers to work alongside me and help oversee the kitchen and running of the restaurant."

Mr Snaith and his team announced earlier this year that they were opening a second outlet in Holt. Investment into both sites has totalled around £500,000.

Mr Snaith added: "We are hoping to grow our reputation into new areas and discover new customers, while also allowing our own team to grow and develop into their new roles.

"The expansion has meant promotions for several of the team, most of who have been with us from the start and are central to our plans for expansion."