Thank you everyone who responded with memories about chip shops following last week’s invitation to comment.

The photo of the Peel chip shop, which is still so popular today, was a cracker, with all the happy, smiling staff - a number of whom readers recognised - ready to serve up delicious fish and chips.

Now operated by David Matthews, it continues to have an excellent reputation. Do you have a favourite modern-day chippy? Are you a chips, cheese and gravy person, or more traditional fish, chips and peas like me?

Mandy Griffin, yes, despite having a busy week at the Guild, took the time to tell us that her nan used to have a chippy on Bathurst Street in the 1950s. Her mum and aunt used to work in the chippy when they were teenagers… does anyone remember there being a parrot in the shop? Or was it just the subject of a vivid imagination?

For another day - what about all the jobs we did as teenagers? We were all very keen to earn some pocket money to go to the baths in Victoria Street or the matinee at the pictures on a Saturday afternoon.

We would be ‘all grown up’ and go to one of the two herb beer shops in Walpole Avenue or the big slot car track in the former Royalty Cinema…

Irene Foster worked in Hope Street in the 1980s. How handy was it for those of us who frequented the Forester’s Arms just up the road.

Mr Cunliffe was a very busy man with good staff, who would supply all the guest houses around the area at that time.

Sylvia Walmsley and Susan Fargher, who lived nearby, remembered it well!

Tim Craine would go to Hope Street after watching a film in the 1970s, then drive up to Douglas Head to eat them.

Mike Robson, when hitchhiking home down south from Douglas, would always see if Hope Street was still open… but he wasn’t often lucky. If it was, it was like winning the jackpot!

Marcia Pearson said they used to queue up outside Hope Street to be seated upstairs - ‘posh or what!’…

Lynn Mather mentioned the chippy in King Street, and Jackie McCubbin used to get a sixpenny split from that one on the way home from the pictures.

My old Tynwald colleague Alex Downie reminded us of Maggie Spits on Windsor Road (don’t ask!) and two chip shops in Allan Street where the chips were cooked in dripping and tasted fantastic.

He said the fish was freshly battered and fried in front of you, and if you had no money you could always ask for the scratchings.

Maureen Clague told us about Campbell’s by the Bowling Green pub, where she would take a large bowl, which was then filled with peas and topped up with chips, and fed the family perfectly.

She also mentioned the Waverley, where she and others would pile into her then-boyfriend’s minivan after the Cave and head up for a feed.

A good story from Gillian Blackley: she used to have to go to the chippy in Peel from the boarding house she worked at more than 50 years ago to get a box of chips.

She spoke about another one in Peel - was it Elaine’s? - opposite the old post office. They had a minor bird, and if you asked for fish and chips it swore at you. It ended up in Peel Castle, where its vocabulary was vastly improved.

Kirstine Mullen remembered a chippy in Dalton Street in the 1980s, and she would go for a bowl of chips.

Hilary Baugh went down the steps of Edward Lane, near where Chester Street car park is these days, to Felice’s chippy in Castle Street with a bowl for chips and crispy bits.

June Quayle asked if any of today’s chip shops do potato scallops - big slices of potato in batter - which she described as amazing.

Thanks to my old pal Terry for letting us know you can get them at New Cod on the Block in Onchan and the Terrace Chippy. I’ve not had those for years, so they are on my ‘to do’ list! Other fans included Janet Austin and Jane Curtis…

Roberta Cannell would get the bus from Pully, run up Hope Street to get chips for the family, run back down again to get the next bus back. It only took about 20 minutes and the chips were still hot!

Ann Ellwood was another who took a bowl and clean tea towel to cover all for two shillings! Alan Berry’s favourite was the Waverley chippy, operated by Arthur Baron. John Willie Moore says a visit to the chip shop at Hope Street was a once-a-year treat after Douglas Carnival—and he wasn’t joking!

Margie Fitzgerald-Joughin loved the fish cakes, described as amazing, as did Annette King! Glynn Noon would get the bus from Willaston to visit Hope Street.

Maxine Hannay says it was the best chippy ever, and Tracey Moorley replied that was obvious, as she worked there as her first job!

Eva Corrin used to go to Hardings at the top of Drumgold Street in the late 1950s and early 60s, and Mrs Cain’s in Allan Street at lunchtimes, with bowls and tea towels to keep them hot.

An interesting story from Darren Prior, who remembered a chippy on Melbourne Street, which was called ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’, operated by Paul Quine’s uncle and aunty, Henry and Nelly, which they used to visit after cadet training at the drill hall at Tromode every Thursday.

He also remembered the Neptune, with its sharp incline to the counter. He thinks the small area in front of the serving hatch was laid out with similar, if not the same, beige-coloured tiles as used at the Aquadrome.

I had a good natter this week on the phone with the son of the family who operated the Neptune, whose mum passed away last year but enjoyed my column each week, which was very nice to hear, and they remembered Cret being a regular customer!

Lynn Mather mentioned Alexander chip shop in Onchan, run by John Woods at the bottom of Nursery Avenue, and Sue Webster remembered Nelly’s Corner chippy at the top of Summerhill Road, which was one of the reasons I decided to do a piece about this favourite treat. She used to get chips for her Onchan nanna up there… with proper newspaper wrapping!

Get in touch with your memories via the usual channels; it is always good to read your letters or emails or to have a chat on the phone.

The Examiner obviously gets distributed far and wide, because I recently had a call from a lady in Essex who spent many happy times with us on the Isle of Man. I hope the stories about chip shops that readers have shared have perhaps reawakened some happy memories for you.

Next week will be another subject. I am always keen to have your suggestions or ideas of interesting or nostalgic times spent. It won’t be about chips next week, though, as the subject has filled a page and a half now of your Examiner!

So if you weren’t all that interested in the subject, you can always use the newspaper to wrap your chips… or can you!