A Yorkshire chippy has put itself firmly on the map after translating its menu to cater for the busloads of Chinese tourists who turn up every week to sample a great British staple.
Scott’s Fish and Chips, near York, welcomes about 100 tourists every week, according to manager Roxy Vasai.
She told the BBC: “We look out for a coach and when they’re coming we shout ‘they’re here, there are 20, 30, 40 [people], let’s make it ready for them.’”
Sudden interest in fish and chips has been attributed to Chinese president Xi Jinping and then-prime minister David Cameron’s meeting over the meal in 2015, with a number of tourists adding the “experience” to their travel checklists.
As well as translating their menu into Cantonese and Mandarin, the shop has further catered to potential visitors by launching a Chinese website on Weibo, and utilising Wechat, a popular Chinese messaging app.
Vasai said the shop had benefited from increased interest from tourists, in atmosphere as well as business: “They are very friendly, smiley and happy,” she added.
A number of Chinese tour operators have added the lunch stop to their itineraries, according to Will Zhuang, ambassador for Make It York and Chinese social media manager for Visit York.
He told HuffPost UK: “They see fish and chips as the national dish of England.”
In terms of the president’s influence on interest in the dish, Zhaung said: “They see it that leaders will always be welcomed with nice food, nice accommodation, the top attractions, so they want to try it.”
Most Chinese tour groups arrive in London, travel to Cambridge, and then go North to York, Zhaung said.
“Just off the A64...it’s the ideal location for a tour group to have lunch.”
Three years ago, York won a gold China Tourist Welcome (CTW) award for its work to market the city to Chinese visitors.