ISN'T it amazing what some people rate as good food. Once a week, on average, I buy a lovely piece of haddock and make a fish and chip meal for my wife.

This entails peeling a couple of potatoes and crinkle-cutting them, frying the chips and grilling the fish. The total cost, including heating energy, is around £2.70.

By way of a change, I was stupid enough to go to a "fish and chip" shop recently.

A portion of fish and chips was £3.20. Not too big a difference, until I analysed the situation.

The fish was approximately a quarter of the size of the one I buy, and it tasted greasy and awful. Even my cat turned his nose up at it.

The chips were not hot, and had an 80 per cent content of scrappy bits. They weren't even golden brown like the ones I make. In fact, they were so insipid and off-putting I couldn't eat many.

I have sampled products from several fish and chip shops. Even the decent ones fall way behind home-made.

Why can an establishment whose sole purpose (pardon the pun) is to churn out fish and chips not maintain a higher standard?

Harry Rigby

Chorley New Road

Bolton