A CHIPPY is celebrating 30 years of running his shop in the same plaice.

Jeffrey Tovey opened Mr T’s Chippy in Yate in May 1986 and says its long-running success is down to traditional methods and making fresh chips every day.

Mr Tovey, 78, first served fish, chips and mushy pears at the shop on Wellington Road after spotting a gap in the market in Yate. There were few traditional English takeaways in the late 1980s and with a growing population, he set about bringing a chippy to the town.

Since then, Mr T’s has won awards and now caters for events including birthday parties, school discos and community groups. The shop has moved with the times and now caters for customers with coeliac by providing completely gluten free products on Wednesdays.

Said Mr Tovey: “Over the years I have seen my customers grow up and bring their own children in. “It’s nice to see families grow as much as I’ve seen Yate grow over the years.”

He added: “Mr T's has won awards for the best chips in Yate for numerous years and I feel this is because we still make fresh, homemade chips prepared in house every day.”

Mr Tovey still has a strong role in the business with the support of his wife Fran, step-daughter Mandy and long-serving member of staff Marie Jones.