A Wells fish and chip shop is hoping to be named winner of a national award this month.

Platten's Fish and Chips has been shortlisted in a brand new category of the National Fish and Chip Shop Awards, hosted by Seafish, the authority on seafood.

Platten's is up against Harbour Lights, Falmouth and The Chippy, Antrim to win the Quality Award 'Champion' as part of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) Fish and Chip Quality Award scheme which was launched in January 2011.

This new accolade was created by the NFFF to acknowledge UK fish and chip shops who continue to raise the standards of the overall industry. The award rewards shops that achieve the perfect balance between good quality products, clean hygienic premises, high standards of shop appearance and highly trained and competent managers and staff.

The judging for the finalists took place at the NFFF head office, with representatives from the organisation and Seafish being joined by an independent judge.

Phil Platten, owner of Platten's said: 'We are all incredibly honoured to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award and it fills us with great confidence to be recognised. We have big expansion plans for the business and this is only the start.

'Platten's has been a family business for more than 50 years and it's in our blood.

'This award is of particular importance to us as we really pride ourselves on offering a quality product to our customers.

'My son, Luke, has been helping me run the business since he graduated from university and it will be a great treat for us both to attend the awards ceremony. We have our fingers crossed for a win on the night.'

Denise Dodd, general secretary of the NFFF, said: 'The response rate has been excellent and we have so many shops to thank for sending in their entries.

'Just about every entrant has told us that passing the assessment gave such a morale boost to their staff that the quality of their service and turnover increased dramatically.

'The standard of entries was so high, that in addition to our three finalists we are awarding an additional four shops with a highly-commended certificate for the work they have done.'

Paul Williams, CEO of Seafish said, 'It's great to have so many quality fish and chip shops in the UK today, each striving to improve the industry through a number of different initiatives and ensuring that our national dish, fish and chips, will be enjoyed for generations to come.'

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Lancaster London Hotel on January 24.