English town home to the world’s largest fish and chip shop to be connected to London for first time in 30 years
THE seaside town with the world’s biggest fish and chip shop is about to be much easier to get to.
Plans have been submitted for Cleethorpes to get a new rail link to London – for the first time since 1992.
If the route goes ahead, it will be 30 years since travellers last had a direct service between London King’s Cross and the Lincolnshire town.
The rail route will also stop at Doncaster, Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Thorne South, Crowle and Althorpe stations.
Grand Central said it would have four return services per day – which equates to 775,000 seats per year between Cleethorpes, Grimsby and London Kings Cross.
There are no dates firmed up yet, but Grand Central hopes to have the trains up and running by December 2026.
Cleethorpes has been described as an ‘underrated’ seaside town in the UK, and is home to the world’s biggest fish and chip shop.
The chippy is called Papa’s Fish & Chips and you’ll find it on Cleethorpes Pier.
It has a whopping 500 seats and visitors can take in views over the North Sea while enjoying a catch of the day.
Papa’s Fish and Chips has been serving customers for four generations, starting in 1966.
The chippy uses a “secret recipe batter” for all of their fish which has been passed down since they opened.
In 2022, Papa’s Fish & Chips was crowned the nation’s best chippy on BBC show The Best of British Takeaways, presented by Tom Kerridge.
Battered cod and chips isn’t all that Cleethorpes has to offer, it’s also home to one of the smallest pubs in the UK.
Called the Signal Box, the pub measures at 8ft by 8ft.
Only six people can fit inside, which includes two bar staff – so there’s only room for four punters.
But don’t fear, you don’t have to queue up and wait for a space as outside is a beer garden that has room for 200 people.
The former train station Signal Box was moved from Scunthorpe Steelworks to Cleethorpes in 1995 before being transformed in to a pub in 2006.
Anyone wanting to see more of the seaside town should also take a ride on its miniature railway.
It’s been used since 1948 taking takes visitors from Lakeside Station (the railway’s main terminal) to Kingsway Station next to Cleethorpes Promenade.
The journey is two miles long and takes just 30 minutes, you’ll get to see the Lincolnshire coastline and go over a viaduct. .
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And this Northern seaside town has been nicknamed the ‘Lakeland Riviera’ thanks to its warm microclimate.