The National Fish & Chip Awards says ‘wool’ done to Bourdon Street Chippy

The National Fish & Chip Awards is making a well-deserved ‘fuzz’ over textile artist Lucy Sparrow’s showstopping Sew Your Soul installation ‘Bourdon Street Chippy’ by honouring her with a one-off ‘Most Heartfelt Chippy Opening of the Year’ accolade

Bourdon Street Chippy, exhibiting at Lyndsey Ingram gallery in Mayfair, is this summer’s must-visit immersive experience, which has already seen thousands of visitors devouring the full-size takeaway’s 65,000 individually hand-sewn items made entirely from felt, including all the fixtures and fittings.

Lucy’s remarkable workmanship and exceptional attention to detail has resulted in a joyful celebration of the iconic British dish, earning her the ultimate seal of approval from the National Fish & Chip Awards, with the exclusive ‘Most Heartfelt Chippy Opening of the Year’ title.

Regarded as the fish and chip industry’s most prestigious prize-giving event, the National Fish & Chip Awards serves as the benchmark for industry standards and excellence. The annual ceremony is organised by the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), and its Treasurer Caroline Murphy explains that the sustainability and quality of Lucy’s craft parallels the art of cooking perfect fish and chips.

“There’s no denying how impressive Bourdon Street Chippy is! The hard work Lucy has put into creating the intricacies of shaping the felt to replicate the batter texture, the design consistencies, precision sewing and the due diligence in researching the subject matter is pure brilliance - it perfectly showcases the nostalgia and love the UK has for the dish.

“All the skill Lucy has mastered in her art is a great reflection of what’s required for a real-life fish and chip shop to be outstanding. There’s so much detail involved such as selecting the right potatoes for the season, knowing what cooking oil temperatures work best, how long to fry the fish for - the list goes on, so please do keep supporting your local chippy!”

Caroline continues: “Having fish and chips is a deeply embedded British custom and the way Lucy has captured the excitement and anticipation of walking in, placing an order and sitting down to share it with family, friends and loved ones through the medium of felt is second to none. Her recognition of the brands, industry certification standards and iconography are the touches that really make Bourdon Street Chippy a winner in our eyes. Presenting her with the ‘Most Heartfelt Chippy Opening of the Year’ is to show our appreciation of her talent, which is elevating the nation’s love for fish and chips even higher.”

On receiving the award Lucy comments: “My work seeks to transport my audience into a joyous alternative reality that is both completely familiar, yet totally unique. This award is a wonderful acknowledgement that I have achieved this with the Bourdon Street Chippy. I am grateful to the National Fish & Chip Awards for receiving my work with the same joy and enthusiasm that I brought to its creation and I will proudly display the award in the shop for the rest of the exhibition.”

Visit Bourdon Street Chippy for a fish and chip treat like no other from 11am-6pm on Wednesdays-Sundays until 14 September at the Lyndsey Ingram in Mayfair, London.

The National Fish & Chip Awards 2026 will reveal its 14 category winners in February at the industry ceremony, which takes place in London.

For more information and bits on the National Fish & Chip Awards and Lucy Sparrow, please visit: www.thefishandchipawards.com and www.sewyoursoul.co.uk