Papa's Fish and Chips

Papa's Fish and Chips is a British family-owned group of fish and chip restaurants and takeaways. The business was founded in 1966 by a person identified in reference material as Mr Papas and has developed from a traditional fish-and-chip shop operation into a regional restaurant group with large dine-in venues, takeaway services, and selected drive-through facilities. The brand is associated with Yorkshire and the Humber, particularly Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, and the coastal resort of Cleethorpes. Its operating model combines the conventional British fish-and-chip shop with larger restaurant formats designed for substantial dine-in capacity. This approach has allowed Papa's to serve both local customers and visitors in prominent seaside and leisure locations. The group has been described as the oldest continuously operating family-owned group of fish and chip shops, although the available reference material does not provide a detailed corporate history or identify the family members currently responsible for the business. A major development came in 2015, when the family opened a 320-seat restaurant and takeaway in Willerby, East Riding of Yorkshire. The venue was reported at the time as the world’s largest fish and chip shop, reflecting Papa's emphasis on scale as well as the traditional takeaway format. In August 2016, the group announced plans to expand into Hull by converting the Swiss Cottage public house into a 250-seat restaurant and takeaway. Later that year, Papa's purchased Cleethorpes Pier for an undisclosed amount. The associated Papa's Cleethorpes restaurant and takeaway has more than 500 seats and is among the group’s largest locations. Papa's also gained national visibility through television. In 2017, it competed with other prominent fish and chip businesses in the BBC competition The Best of British Takeaways and was named “Britain’s Best Fish and Chips.” This recognition reinforced the brand’s positioning around traditional British food, restaurant experience, and family-business heritage. Expansion continued in Hull in December 2020 with the opening of a Kingswood restaurant that included a drive-through service. The Bilton outlet was refurbished and received a drive-through facility that opened in January 2021. In July 2021, Papa's announced plans for additional restaurants in Blackpool, Sheffield, and Skegness, indicating an intention to extend beyond its established Yorkshire and Humber base into other major British seaside and urban markets. The brand’s typical offer is centered on fried fish, chips, and associated takeaway or restaurant meals. The available material does not specify a complete menu, sourcing policy, ownership structure, financial performance, or current outlet count. Papa's remains best understood as a regional British fish-and-chip restaurant group whose distinctive features are family ownership, large-format venues, seaside locations, and adaptation of the traditional takeaway concept through dine-in and drive-through operations.

Papa's Fish and Chips was established in the United Kingdom in 1966 by Mr Papas. It developed as a family-owned fish-and-chip business and is described in reference material as the oldest running family-owned group of fish and chip shops. The available history does not identify the founder's full name, provide a detailed account of the original shop, or document the succession of family members involved in management. The business later expanded beyond the conventional small takeaway model. In 2015, the family opened a 320-seat restaurant and takeaway in Willerby in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The venue was described as the world's biggest fish and chip shop at that time, demonstrating the group's move toward large-format hospitality sites while retaining the core fish-and-chip offer. Papa's announced a further Hull expansion in August 2016, proposing to convert the Swiss Cottage public house into a 250-seat restaurant and takeaway. In December of the same year, the group purchased Cleethorpes Pier for an undisclosed fee. Its Cleethorpes restaurant and takeaway, located at the pier, has more than 500 seats and is one of the largest sites associated with the brand. The pier acquisition connected the company’s restaurant operation with a prominent coastal leisure destination. The brand received national attention in 2017 through The Best of British Takeaways, a BBC competition involving leading fish-and-chip businesses. Papa's won the competition and was presented as “Britain’s Best Fish and Chips.” The award provided public recognition beyond the group’s established regional market and supported its traditional, quality-focused positioning. Expansion in Hull continued in December 2020, when Papa's opened a restaurant in the Kingswood area. That location also introduced drive-through service, extending the brand’s service model beyond sit-down dining and conventional counter takeaway. In January 2021, the Bilton outlet was refurbished and reopened with a drive-through facility. These developments show the group adapting its established food offer to convenience-oriented formats. On 6 July 2021, Papa's announced plans for additional restaurants in Blackpool, Sheffield, and Skegness. The proposal represented a potential move into further coastal and urban markets outside the group’s strongest Yorkshire and Humber presence. The available reference does not confirm the completion date or operating status of each announced location. Across its documented history, Papa's has combined family ownership, traditional British fish and chips, large restaurants, takeaway operations, seaside venues, and drive-through access. Information on its current ownership, management, financial results, total number of branches, menu range, and present expansion status is not established by the supplied sources.

• 2021

  Bilton drive-through opens

  [1]Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org

  The Bilton outlet was refurbished and received a drive-through facility.

• 2021

  Further expansion announced

  [1]Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org

  Papa's announced plans for additional restaurants in Blackpool, Sheffield, and Skegness.

• 2020

  Kingswood restaurant opens

  [1]Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org

  Papa's opened a Hull Kingswood restaurant with drive-through service.

• 2017

  Named Britain's Best Fish and Chips

  [1]Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org

  Papa's won the BBC competition The Best of British Takeaways.

• 2016

  Hull expansion announced

  [1]Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org

  The group announced plans to convert the Swiss Cottage public house into a 250-seat Papa's restaurant and takeaway.

• 2016

  Cleethorpes Pier acquired

  [1]Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org

  Papa's purchased Cleethorpes Pier for an undisclosed fee.

• 2015

  Large-format Willerby venue opens

  [1]Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org

  Papa's opened a 320-seat restaurant and takeaway in Willerby, East Riding of Yorkshire, reported as the world's biggest fish and chip shop at the time.

• 1966

  Business founded

  [1]Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org

  Mr Papas founded the family-owned fish and chip business in the United Kingdom.

Traditional British fish and chips delivered through a family-owned regional restaurant group, combining classic takeaway service with large dine-in venues, seaside destinations, and selected drive-through formats.

• Core restaurant and takeaway meal · 1966

  Fish and chips

  Papa's central offering is the traditional British fish-and-chip meal, served through both counter-service takeaway operations and larger dine-in restaurants. The supplied reference confirms the core category but does not specify fish species, batter recipe, side-dish range, sourcing standards, or nutritional information.

• Foodservice format

  Restaurant and takeaway service

  The brand operates venues that combine restaurant seating with takeaway service. Its larger sites include substantial seating capacity, allowing Papa's to serve the traditional fish-and-chip offer in a more extensive hospitality setting than a standard small shop.

• Convenience service format · 2020

  Drive-through service

  Papa's has added drive-through facilities at selected locations, including the Kingswood restaurant in Hull and the refurbished Bilton outlet. The format extends the group’s takeaway model by allowing customers to collect food without entering the restaurant.

• 2017The Best of British Takeaways

  United Kingdom

  Papa's competed in the BBC television contest The Best of British Takeaways against other leading fish and chip businesses.

  Outcome. Papa's won the competition and was named Britain's Best Fish and Chips.

  Source

• 2021

  Refurbish Bilton and add drive-through serviceStrategy

  Background

  The group continued adapting existing restaurants for faster and more convenient collection.

  Action taken

  Papa's refurbished the Bilton outlet and opened a drive-through facility in January.

  Source

• 2021

  Plan expansion to additional British marketsStrategy

  Background

  Papa's announced plans to grow beyond its established Yorkshire and Humber base.

  Action taken

  The group announced additional fish and chip restaurants in Blackpool, Sheffield, and Skegness.

  Source

• 2020

  Add drive-through service in KingswoodStrategy

  Background

  Papa's expanded its Hull footprint while adding a convenience-oriented service channel.

  Action taken

  The group opened a Kingswood restaurant that also operated a drive-through.

  Source

• 2016

  Expand into Hull through the Swiss Cottage siteStrategy

  Background

  The group announced an additional Hull location as part of its regional expansion.

  Action taken

  Papa's planned to convert the Swiss Cottage public house into a 250-seat restaurant and takeaway.

  Source

• 2016

  Acquire Cleethorpes PierM&A

  Background

  Papa's pursued a prominent coastal destination for a large restaurant operation.

  Action taken

  The group purchased Cleethorpes Pier for an undisclosed fee.

  Aftermath

  The Papa's Cleethorpes restaurant and takeaway became one of the group's largest venues, with more than 500 seats.

  Acquisition price. Undisclosed (December 2016)

  Source

• 2015

  Open a large-format Willerby restaurantStrategy

  Background

  Papa's sought to extend its fish-and-chip business beyond smaller shop formats.

  Action taken

  The family opened a 320-seat restaurant and takeaway in Willerby, East Riding of Yorkshire.

  Aftermath

  The venue was reported as the world's biggest fish and chip shop at the time.

  Source

1. 1Papa's Fish and Chipsen.wikipedia.org