A family-run Kent restaurant has been named as one of the UK's top 40 best chippies.

Maidstone's award-winning Lewis’s Fish & Grill could become the country's top takeaway in The National Fish and Chip Awards 2023.

Owners, Gavin and Craig Lewis, took over the Loose Road business in 2018 when it was Big Ben's Fish & Grill.

In 2019 the brothers relaunched and re-branded as Lewis's Fish and Grill, the duo won the Best Newcomer Award in 2020.

Gavin, 42, said: "During the pandemic obviously the awards weren't running.

"But as soon as the awards came back we wanted to get involved with this straight away because we felt like it's a really, really good promotion, not just for our shop, but for the industry as a whole.

"Especially right now with the cost of living crisis, it's really important that the public stays confident in fish and chips and the awards help us get loads of support as an industry, not just as a shop."

Chippies across Kent have been battling to stay afloat due to soaring costs for their key ingredients.

A perfect storm of issues has resulted in white fish - such as perennial favourites cod and haddock - being in short supply as well as the rocketing cost of cooking oil and electricity.

According to the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), it fears as many as a third of all 10,500 chippies across the nation could go to the wall as a result of the crisis gripping the industry.

Gavin said: "We want to thank the people of Maidstone for understanding that the cost of living is affecting a lot of people.

"Fish and chips has always been seen as a really cheap meal, so, as an industry, we've kept the prices low for a long, long time.

"But with the cost of living, it has had an impact on a lot of chip shops.

"Unfortunately, a lot of business haven't survived. Luckily we're doing all right, it's not doom and gloom as we've got really good customer base, and people come back.

"We have had a small increase in prices, however, but I think that's across the board with every industry in the UK at the moment.

"The price of a large cod and chips has risen from £9.50 to £10.50 when you buy in store.

"For example, our gas bills have tripled and that's just one element of, so we want to thank our customers for being loyal despite the rising costs."

Gavin and Craig, 29, both from Maidstone, put themselves forward for the award with a big information pack that advertises their produce.

This helped them secure a spot in the top 40.

However, it is now up to industry experts and a public vote to announce what shops make it into the top 20 and will ultimately be crowned the best fish and chip shop in the UK.

Gavin, who started his career as a chip boy at 16 years old, continued: "One thing that makes that makes our chip shop stand out is the importance we place on the sustainability of the fish.

"We make sure there's lots of fish out there for the future of the industry, making sure we're environmentally friendly is key.

"We have good quality oils at really high temperatures that we fry our meat, fish and chips in as well to make it as healthy as possible.

"Our passion, excitement and our customer service also makes people returning for out food, that is our unique selling point."

On October 14, the top 40 takeaways will be whittled down to the top 20, then around November or December the top 20 will drop to the top 10.

The overall winner of the awards is expected to be announced in February.

To vote for Lewis's Fish & Grill click here.

The business owner added: "We would love people to come down, try our food, and vote for us after they make sure that they really enjoyed their fish and chips.

"Craig and I would really appreciate it, it'd be great to get a chip shop in the County Town of Kent to win the National Fish and Chip Awards, that would be amazing.

"Our sights are set on that number one spot, and I think we can do it."