A GALSTON chippy has been named the best in Ayrshire.

The Principal Café scooped multiple prizes at the Scottish Fish & Chip Awards 2024.

They won Best Newcomer, Best Chip Shop (Ayrshire) and were highly recommend for Best Fish Supper.

The ceremony took place in Glasgow on Monday, November 11, where the cafe's entire staff were present.

The business is run by husband and wife team, Claire and Eddie Thomson.

The café has a small but dedicated team of eight staff (Image: The Principal Cafe) Claire said: "We were absolutely overjoyed to win these awards. As a team, we genuinely put our hearts and souls into making our business a success—not only for ourselves but for the people of Galston, who are our biggest supporters. 

"Seeing our hard work recognized on such a scale was incredible. It’s truly an honour to know that our commitment to quality food and our community has made such an impact. It was a complete shock, but we’re so proud."

The Principal Cafe is over 100-years-old, and the pair decided to take over the building after finding themselves unexpectedly out of work.

However, just a few days after their grand opening, a pan fire forced them to close temporarily, but they now credit this experience with giving them the determination to work even harder.

They consider their attention to detail and commitment to quality as their secret to winning awards, with the team regularly attending training to stay at the top of their game, and using their skills to create the best quality food.  

Claire added: "We think it’s a mix of hard work, dedication, and genuine passion for the community, our customers, and great food. From the start, we wanted to be more than just a fish and chip shop. We wanted to create a welcoming space where people feel connected. 

They consider their attention to detail as the secret to winning (Image: Stuart Churchill) "Focusing on quality, local ingredients and engaging with the community through events has helped us make a strong impression early on. 

"Investing in our team’s training and development has been vital, too, as we believe that having a skilled, passionate team is the key to providing the best service."

Currently the team is made up of eight people, including the couple's daughter, Abi and son, Josh.

The most popular item on their menu is their fish, but they also have high demand for black pudding, haggis, sausage, home made macaroni cheese, and their fritters which sell out every night.