Food hygiene: Reeves Fish and Chips, Abingdon, gets five-star rating

The recently-revamped Reeves Traditional Fish and Chips has secured a five-star hygiene rating following a visit by health inspectors from Vale of White Horse District Council two weeks ago.

It is complete transformation in standards for the Ock Street business which was previously rated one star and has not been graded above two stars since 2015.

The takeaway, which received a judgement of 'good' in all three categories, was renamed Reeves and the frontage updated in March in a nod to the building’s long past as a chip shop.

The Reeves family was well known in Wantage and Abingdon for its chain of fish and chip shops, which were launched in 1895 in Wantage.

In 1919, the firm moved to Abingdon and opened shops in Ock Street and the Vineyard.

The firm ran its shops until the late 1980s, with the Ock Street business then taken over and run as Salami’s Fish Bar since the 1990s.

Manager Analita Andrade said they were keen to celebrate this century milestone as part of the refurbishment.

She explained: "With it being the 100th anniversary the owner wanted to honour the history and that is why the name has been changed from Salami's to Reeves. There is also a memory wall inside that links to the building's past."

Ms Andrade, who has worked at the takeaway for five years, said the major refurbishment, which took 10 and a half weeks to complete, combined 'old and new'.

She said: "Everything has been completely updated and it looks great. It helped us get the top rating but we also worked really hard, with extra training for staff.

"It is incredibly important to have that five-star score."

Analita Andrade with one of the Creme Eggs

The 28-year-old added: "We haven't changed the menu but we've had extra cooking training and the range is new so the batter is really crispy which people like."

This was put to more unusual use over Easter when Ms Andrade was inspired by a social media post to start selling battered Creme Eggs.

At the time, she said: "Lots of people think the idea is disgusting, but the first person that tried it was my potato supplier and he enjoyed it."

The chip shop serves customers who can’t make it as far as the town centre where Abingdon Fish and Chips in The Square, which also has a five-star rating, has been doing a roaring trade and getting good reviews since it opened in March last year.

Smarts Takeaway on the Peachcroft estate also sells fish and chips.