Wetherby Whaler

The Wetherby Whaler
Restaurant information
Established 1989
Food type Fish and chips
County Yorkshire
Country England
Website Wetherby Whaler

The Wetherby Whaler is a chain of fish and chips restaurants in the United Kingdom. The first restaurant was founded in 1989 in Wetherby with four more having been subsequently opened across Yorkshire.[1][2]

History

Phillip and Janine Murphy founded the Wetherby Whaler restaurant in 1989 having worked in fishery in Tadcaster since 1969.[3][4]

The second restaurant in the chain was opened in 1990 in Pudsey.[3] More branches were opened thereafter; York in 1996 (which was expanded in 2014),[5] Wakefield in 2001 and Guiseley in 2012.[2]

Guiseley fish and chip shop Harry Ramsden's was acquired by the Wetherby Whaler in 2012 for £500,000.[6][7] Considered by reviewers in The Metro and The Guardian to be the "spiritual home" of fish and chips,[1][7][8][9] Harry Ramsden's had gone into administration six months before the sale due to financial issues.[10]

A charity musical performance with a storyline based on fish and chips was held at the Guiseley restaurant in 2016.[11]

Reception

Reviews of the Wetherby Whaler restaurants have been generally favourable. Yorkshire Life identified the Wetherby Whaler as one of the best fish and chip shops[12] and the best gluten-free restaurant[13] in Yorkshire. The Yorkshire Evening Post also placed the Leeds branch among its list of top restaurants in the city.[14] The restaurants' gluten-free menus have received praise from several coeliac restaurant reviewers.[15][16]

On National Fish and Chips Day, the restaurants offer a large meal as part of the "Impossible Fish 'n' Chips Challenge" which is traditionally attempted by local news reporters and restaurant reviewers, to varying degrees of success.[17][18]

In January 2017, The Wetherby Whaler won the National Federation of Fish Friers Fish and Chip Quality Award after an inspection based on hygiene standards, staff training and food quality.[19][20]

Charity involvement

The Wetherby Whaler regularly sponsors regional awards including the Yorkshire Choice Awards[4] and the Yorkshire Young Achievers Award.[21][22]

In 2015, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance awarded the chain a corporate sponsor recognition award for the fundraising they have done since 2012.[23][24]

References

  1. 1 2 "Harry Ramsden's re-opens under new owners". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  2. 1 2 "About the Wetherby Whaler". The Wetherby Whaler. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Phillip Murphy, founder and managing director of the Wetherby Whaler". York Press. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Introducing Award Sponsors, Wetherby Whaler". Yorkshire Choice Awards. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  5. ↑ "The Wetherby Whaler's £60,000 investment in York restaurant". York Press. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  6. ↑ "First Harry Ramsden's chip shop bought by Whaler Group". BBC. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Harry Ramsden's original fish and chip shop is saved". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "World’s most famous fish and chips shop reopens under new name". The Metro. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Harry Ramsden's bought by Wetherby Whaler". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  10. ↑ "Harry Ramsden's re-opens under new owners". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  11. ↑ "Chip shop musical to be staged at Guiseley's Wetherby Whaler". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  12. ↑ "The best fish and chip shops in Yorkshire". Yorkshire Life. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  13. ↑ "Six of the best gluten-free restaurants in Yorkshire". Yorkshire Life. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  14. ↑ "Leeds recommends: Best place for fish and chips". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  15. ↑ "Wetherby Whaler, Wakefield, West Yorkshire". Coeliac Sanctuary. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  16. ↑ "Restaurant Review: The Wetherby Whaler, Guiseley". The Happy Coeliac. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  17. ↑ "Fish’n Impossible at the Wetherby Whaler for National Fish and Chip Day". Leeds Welcome. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  18. ↑ "Wetherby Whaler at Guiseley launches Fish 'n' Impossible challenge for National Fish and Chip Day". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  19. ↑ "Whaler lands top award". Wetherby News. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  20. ↑ "Guiseley's Wetherby Whaler gets national quality award". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  21. ↑ "Nominations open for 25th Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards". ITV. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  22. ↑ "Wetherby Whaler sponsors Yorkshire Young Achiever award". Ilkley Gazette. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  23. ↑ "Wetherby Whaler among winners at Yorkshire Air Ambulance Recognition Awards". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  24. ↑ "Wetherby Whaler among winners at Yorkshire Air Ambulance Recognition Awards". Wharfedale Observer. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.