Category: Blog

Looking for things to do this January? We’ve done our research and found five of the best events happening in Cheltenham and Stroud this month. From psychic ducks to ABBA tribute nights, there’s plenty to get involved with.

Stroud Wassail

Between 12th and 13th January, Stroud Wassail will be hosting its annual celebration, complete with plenty of fun and unusual activities. In the past, revellers have been entertained by magicians, singers, and even a psychic duck – what?! You can definitely expect the unexpected when you take part in this mid-winter revelry. Check out their site today to learn more.

Cheltenham Festival Trials Day

On 27th January, racegoers will be heading down to the Cheltenham Racecourse to watch the Festival Trials. In the lead up to March’s Festive, there will be plenty of exciting races taking place, with the highlight race being the BetBright Trial Chase. After the races, be sure to pop by our Cheltenham shop for some much needed fish and chips.

Aladdin Pantomime

Looking for some light-hearted entertainment to banish the January blues? Luckily for you, the Aladdin pantomime will be performed up until 21st January 2018 at the Bacon Theatre in Cheltenham. Perfect for the whole family, watch as this well-loved fairy tale comes to life.

Stroud’s First Vegan Fair

Vegan? Or just love vegan food? Head over to Stroud’s first ever vegan fair on 20th January for a day full of plant-based delights. Alongside our very own Tofish and chips, you’ll be able to sample an array of vegan cakes, sweets and even ice cream. And with only a £3 entry cost, it’s a bargain of a day out.

ABBA Tribute Night

Unleash your inner dancing queen on 27th January, and belt out your favourite ABBA tunes at Stonehouse Court’s ABBA Tribute night. We recommend wearing as much glitter and glam as possible, and busting some groovy disco moves. We will be!

Feeling inspired for an eventful January? We hope these five ideas have you prepped and ready for a month of fun and excitement. And don’t forget, to keep you fuelled on this adventures, be sure to stop by your local Simpsons for a yummy fish and chip tea.

If you’re planning on visiting us over the festive season, be sure to make a note of our opening times to avoid disappointment. Our Stroud shop will be closed from 24th December until 2nd January, whereas Cheltenham will be closed on 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st December, as well as 1st January 2018.

In the meantime, why not make the most of the amazing events happening in Cheltenham and Stroud over Christmas. From visiting Father Christmas to enjoying pantomimes with the family, you’re bound to find something you’ll love. To help you get inspired for the festive period, here’s our list of the top 5 things to do this December.

1. She’s behind you!

If you and your family love a bit of theatre, then a trip to Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre is a must. This year they will be showcasing a performance of Dick Whittington, with Tweedy the Clown taking centre stage. This is bound to get laughs from both the older and younger members of your family, so make sure you don’t miss out on getting tickets.

Not only that, but Stroud Subscription Rooms will be hosting a Robin Hood pantomime, which will star Allo Allo’s Sue Hodge!

2. Meet Father Christmas

Whether you’ve got kids or not, a selfie with Santa is always a must. This year, the Brewery Quarter will be hosting a Santa Selfie competition, giving you the opportunity to strike a pose and win fantastic prizes all at the same time. Father Christmas will be hanging out there between 2nd – 9th December, so head over then.

3. Festive wreath Making

Love arts and crafts? Love Christmas? Well, we’ve got the perfect activity for you: wreath making! Newark Park will be hosting a Christmas wreath making workshop on 6th December, giving those of you with a flair for the creative a chance to make your own festive decorations. Make sure you send photos of your masterpieces via our Facebook page!

4. Festive farmyard fun

For some family fun head down to Cattle Country Adventure Park, where you can not only meet Father Christmas in his Santa’s Grotto, but interact with the resident farm animals. There are also plenty of play areas and even crazy golf to keep your little ones entertained.

All set to celebrate Christmas in the very best way? We hope our guide to fun activities in Gloucester has you geared up for the best Christmas yet. In the meantime, we’ll see you soon for a slice of battered Christmas pudding.

Presents, mulled wine and mince pies, Christmas is the most special time of the year, filled with some of the best things (and tastiest). But more often than not, the people who really deserve a special festive treat seem to miss out. Have someone in mind? We’ve got the perfect giveaway for them, one that gives you an opportunity to truly spoil someone who’s deserving.

Our Christmas Box

We’re giving away some special Christmas Boxes to those who truly deserve it. In each box, there will be cosy pyjamas, a bottle of fizz, festive DVDs and plenty of tasty nibbles. It’s the perfect gift for someone who’s desperate to put their feet up and relax with friends and family.

Vote for your Christmas Star

So, do you know someone who could really do with a night off? Do you know someone who’s had a tough year and is in need of a pick-me-up? To nominate them for one of our Christmas Boxes, all you have to do is state their name and a reason why they deserve a box, either by email or via our newsletter. Not signed up to our newsletter yet? Sign up today and receive some goodies of your own.

Once we’ve received all of the entries for our Christmas Stars, we’ll then carefully choose the ones that really stand out to us and will announce the winning heroes on 22nd December.

In the meantime, get into the festive mood by digging into our battered Christmas pudding. They’re only here for one month, so make the most of it – they’re pretty yummy.

Image courtesy of Vegan Punks

It was World Vegan Month in November, and to celebrate we’re showcasing our vegan dishes to get you inspired to try out this exciting plan-based diet. From fake fish and chips to our personal favourite, frickles, we love trying out new flavours and veganism gives us that opportunity. So get reading, be hungry and head on over to our Stroud shop to enjoy these tasty treats.

Tofish

Why should all the fish-eating people get to enjoy the goodies? We put our creative heads together to develop our super tasty, tofish recipe – your plant-based alternative to battered fish.

To create the zesty and fresh flavour you expect from ‘fish’, we bath tofu in a mixture of salt water and lemongrass, before drying them out and coating in a sheet of seaweed. From there, the pieces are then coated in our Simpsons batter and deep fried. Served with a wedge of lemon and pinch of salt, our tofish is the fishless alternative you’ve been waiting for. Plus, due to popularity, we’ve now made plans to keep it as a permanent feature on our Stroud menu!

Frickles

Sweet, juicy, crispy and tangy, our frickles are the bomb. Not sure what they are? We’ve basically taken delicious pickles and deep-fried them to create a taste sensation. Not only that, but they’re 100% vegan, making them the perfect accompaniment to your tofish and chips.

Fralapenos

First we deep-fried pickles. Now we’ve taken it that extra step further, and deep-fried our spicy number ones: jalapenos. Sweet, spicy and oh so moreish, these are a must-try next time you’re in Stroud. For the perfect mix, add these alongside your main for that spicy kick.  

Pea Fritter

Love mushy peas? Well, you’ll love our pea fritters, a modern take on this classic chippy side. Perfect on their own or next to your main, we know you’ll love tasty little morsels.

Vegan Patties

Made with vegan cheese and potatoes, our vegan patties are a super cheesy treat for plant-lovers who miss the flavour of cheese. We love these with a portion of chips and lots of ketchup, but you can have them however you fancy.

So, whether you’re a vegan or just fancy trying something new, be sure to head over to our Stroud shop.

Seafood Week is officially here, and to celebrate we’re going to add a new fish to our menu for one day only on Friday 13th October. To help us decide which fish becomes the star of the show, we want you to vote for your favourite between today (6th October) and Wednesday 11th. To vote, all you have to do is either check out our Facebook or simply pop in to see us and vote in-store. The best bit? The winning fish will also have a 10% discount!

So which fish are up for the vote?

Squid

Squid is up for nomination, and could well make it to our menu if you vote for this 3-hearted delight. Delicious battered or just on its own with a pinch of salt and pepper, squid is one dish we love here at Simpsons.

Sea Bream

With a succulent white meat that tastes amazing when cooked well, sea bream is a fish that’s bound to remind you of holidays by the sea and who doesn’t want that?

Lemon Sole

A delicate fish that only needs the slightest seasoning to really come to life, lemon sole is one for those of who you prefer the simpler things in life. We love it lightly battered with a wedge lemon – how about you?

Monkfish

With a flavour and texture similar to lobster, this is one tasty fish. Despite it’s pretty U.G.L.Y appearance, it does not disappoint when it comes to keeping your taste buds happy.

So are you ready to vote for your winner? Make sure you get onto Facebook today or simply pop by one of our shops to enter your vote. Plus, if you want to learn even more, check out our homepage today.

We’re incredibly excited to announce that we’re finalists for the Gloucestershire’s Most Family Friendly Employer award at the Gloucestershire Family Awards 2017.

Earlier in September, we asked many of you to vote for us in this award, and it looks like you did just that, and we couldn’t be any prouder of our team or you, our lovely customers.

So what happens next?

On a top secret date sometime in late October, a judging panel will meet at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice to choose the winners of each category. The judges will consist of a representative from the charity (Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice) as well as the event’s sponsors. The selected judges will then decide on the winners, as well as the winner of winners, who will be presented with a voucher for dinner, bed & breakfast at Ellenborough Park Hotel.

The big event

The awards ceremony will take place on Friday 17th November, where the winners for each category will be announced, and where we will hopefully be taking home an award (keep your fingers crossed!). Plus, you can come along too! Tickets are on sale for £50, with 100% of all takings going to the Sue Ryder. So not only will you be supporting us, you’ll also be helping a lovely charity too.

Wish us good luck!

So what are you waiting for? Get out the shamrocks and rabbits’ feet and get down to our shops to wish us good luck. Well maybe just the shamrocks, hey?

Yep, you heard us right – we’re incredibly excited to announce that the Simpsons business is expanding, with the launch of our very first fish and chip shop outside of Cheltenham!

Situated on Bedford Street, in Stroud, the location of our new shop is one close to our hearts, as it’s where Bonny’s mum, Jan Simpson was brought up. In fact, she launched her first fish and chip shop in Stonehouse, back in 1976.

On a personal level, both Bonny and I love the cool, creative atmosphere of Stroud, and as we both have Sculpture degrees it certainly speaks to our artistic sides. We know the environment is also important to the town and we’re passionate about this too. In fact, all our cod and haddock are MSC certified, we recycle everything we can, we have all of our food waste collected and only use sustainable groundnut oil. Plus, we use a high-efficiency frying range to use as little gas as possible.

We’d been looking for the perfect place to expand to in the county for several months, but absolutely fell in love with this building as soon as we saw it – a place that’s tucked behind the Subscription Rooms in the heart of the town. We’re currently working with Kelly James at Shadowplay in Cheltenham to help to bring the cool, designer feel of our Cheltenham restaurant to the new Stroud outlet and are hoping to open doors by the end of July this summer.

We can’t emphasise enough how much we’re looking forward to launching, and we really can’t wait to get to know the fantastic local community of Stroud. Stay tuned!

To celebrate National Fish & Chip Day on 2nd June 2017, we’re going to be kicking off a week of fishy celebrations! That’s right, every day next week we’re putting the spotlight on a different fish with the aim of introducing a new delicious taste you might not have tried before!

Monday will be cod, Tuesday is plaice, Wednesday we’re focusing on haddock and on Thursday we’re waving hello to sea bass. 

Throughout the week, we’ll be asking you to vote for your favourite out of the four, and revealing the winning fish on National Fish & Chip Day. And once the winning fish has been announced, we’ll be giving all customers 10% off the star of the week. 

There are two different ways to vote:

In-store via our nifty new tablet

Our Facebook poll

Not a fan of these fish? Don’t worry, our usual menu will still be on so you’ll be able to dig into your favourite. However, we promise that if you give them a try you’ll be blown away by the amazing flavours!

Ready to get involved? Make sure you head over to our shop to try out these wonderful fish – just don’t forget to vote!

You won’t be surprised to hear that we really love fish and seafood here at Simpsons, and to help spread the love we have for our underwater friends we’ve decided to dedicate a whole blog to them! From what the fish taste like, to where we source them from, you’ll leave this a blog as a connoisseur of the fishy world.

Cod

Sourced from reputable suppliers and sustained waters, you can be rest assured that our cod is the best of the best. With a subtle flavour and a firm flaky texture, this is a great fish for cooking with – including frying! It’s a popular fish, so it’s always important to buy from MSC certified fisheries – something we do every time!

Haddock

With a slightly finer flake than cod, as well as a stronger flavour, haddock is a great white fish if you don’t fancy cod. Once again, this is an MSC protected fish and so we always ensure our haddocks are sourced from sustainable waters.

Plaice

A flatfish with oodles of flavour, plaice goes perfectly with a wedge of lemon and a light golden coating. Although a delicate fish in consistency, it’s a firm favourite at Simpsons and we think it’s a brilliant alternative to the classics.

Hake

Despite looking a bit scary in its full form (think spiky teeth) with firm flakes and a subtle sweet flavour, hake makes for great alternative to cod. We serve it up in a light and crispy batter alongside our golden chips, so you just know you’re in for a treat when you choose hake.

Scampi

A classic favourite throughout the generations, you can’t go wrong with scampi. Made using the best langoustines, our scampi is lightly battered and has a subtle sweet flavour that goes perfectly with chips and lashings of salt and vinegar.

King Prawns

The crème de la crème of the seafood world, our king prawns are one of our favourite dishes on the entire Simpsons menu. Sweet, succulent and perfect with chips, they’re ideal for when you fancy something a little different!

Do you now have the fishy brain power to impress your friends? Be sure to take them all out for a meal in our restaurant, where you’ll be able to dig into each of these delicious dishes.

Way before fish and chips became the centre of our world, we (James and Bonny) could be found in Brighton studying for our Fine Art Sculpture degree. Back then, there was a prize for second year students who showcased outstanding talent. Worth £100, the prize would go towards helping the winners afford the materials they needed to carry out their creative projects. Unfortunately, James’ year was the last year the prize was given out and so we were determined to put together a new award, and that’s when the Ritchie Prize for Risk and Ambition was born.

After meeting up with an old friend, Leah Capaldi (now a first year tutor of Sculpture at Brighton University and successful artist), we discussed the idea of a new prize and how we could help young artists again. We then decided to up the prize to £200, and give it to the artist who demonstrated the most growth and who had taken the most risks in their work.

‘The Ritchie Award is our way of giving back, our way of giving someone the chance to experiment and explore a little further.  We’re incredibly honoured to have been offered this opportunity.’

James and Bonny Ritchie

After some deliberation, and plenty of time spent admiring the amazing art, we chose the winner of our prize… Drum roll please for Tasneem Arif! We know how tight the purse strings can be when it comes to being a student (hello overdraft!) so we hope this money really helps Tasneem achieve her dreams.

Last week, we received a lovely letter from Suzanne Huntchinson – Tasneem’s lecturer, regarding Tasneem and her prize:

‘I just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you very much for the prize you presented to Tasneem last week. She is delighted with the prize and really enjoyed meeting you both in her studio. A prize at this stage in the student development is very important in building ambition for the future, but also in providing affirmation of the importance of risk in the creative journey. The fact that this came from two graduates of the course makes it a particularly special award.’

Suzanne Hutchinson, Senior Lecturer, Fine Art, Brighton University.

It is heartwarming to know that the prize money will help this promising young artist buy the art materials she needs to complete her future works and we can’t wait to see her new creations very soon.

Moving forward, we hope to do this every year, awarding it to the students in time for their second year exhibitions at the university. So, if you’re studying Fine Art Sculpture at Brighton, next year, it could be you!

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