Meet the Darlington chippy owner who has been in the trade for 41 years

Angela Park, owner of Mowden Park Fisheries on Fulthorpe Avenue in Darlington, has spent 41 years in the fish and chip trade and 31 years running the shop herself. The business is one of ten finalists in The Northern Echo Best Chippy 2026 following a second-place finish last year, and Park hopes 2026 will crown a winner before she contemplates retirement. Her family is poised to take over: her daughter is the manager, with her son and niece also working in the shop. Park emphasizes community, a minimum menu, and quality over quantity as strengths. Rising costs weigh on chippy operators, with fish and utilities described as rising sharply, complicating affordability for regulars, especially the elderly. Mowden Park Fisheries remains proud to be nominated, with voting open until June 17 and a winner announced after counting. The shop’s reputation and family succession plans underpin its bid for victory in a challenging economic environment.