Fish and chips doesn't get much better

MARK TAYLOR samples Josh Eggleton's new Salt and Malt opening in Weston-super-Mare

- Mark Taylor

THE closure of Winstons, a beloved chippy on Weston-super-Mare's seafront, earlier this year was met with widespread disappointment.

The popular establishment had been a fixture for over two decades before the owners abruptly decided to shut up shop.

However, there's good news for fish and chip enthusiasts in Weston. Former Michelin-starred Bristol chef Josh Eggleton swiftly took over the site, transforming it into one of his Salt and Malt restaurants and takeaways within weeks, just in time for the onset of the summer season.

It appears that the new venture has been an instant hit with locals. On the sunny Saturday I visited, by 6pm there was already a queue forming for tables in the restaurant, with an even longer line waiting for takeaways.

Sporting a blue-tiled facade, black and white 'chessboard' floor tiles and ribbed glass partitions between booths, this shiny new Salt and Malt bears a striking resemblance to its Chew Magna and Bristol Wapping Wharf counterparts. It gives the impression that Eggleton is preparing to expand into other seaside locations.