Hundreds of people queued up today (Thurs) to get their hands on 'Britain's cheapest fish and chips' - for just a PENNY.<br /><br />Merchants Fish and Chips in Halesowen, West Mids., offered the "crazy" bargain deal which saw hungry customers queuing around the block from 11am. <br /><br />The patriotic chippy decided to dramatically slash its prices to mark 80 years since D-Day - which is also National Fish and Chip Day.<br /><br />The takeaway, which usually charges £7 for a portion of fish and chips, reduced the cost to just 1p - a staggering reduction of 99.9 per cent. <br /><br />Pat Williams, 78, travelled from Kidderminster, Worcs., to be first in the queue an hour before the chip shop opened at midday.<br /><br />She said: "I wanted to make good use of my free bus pass and take advantage of this amazing offer. <br /><br />"I've come along with a friend who I worked with for 50 years and we thought it would give us a bit of a different day out. <br /><br />"I use the Merchants in Bewdley, and it usually costs £10.50 for a pensioner's special but that comes with bread and butter and a cup of tea or coffee. <br /><br />"It's great value but this is even better and all for a good cause as they are giving some proceeds toward the poppy appeal. <br /><br />"I would not have been here if my father did not return from Dunkirk. He loved a bargain too, so it's in his honour as well." <br /><br />Jackson Kinyoe, 36, from Wolverhampton, said: "I work this way so I'm a regular customer and come here for my lunch quite a lot and the haddock is lovely.<br /><br />"What usually sets my back £7 a time is today going to cost me a penny - it's brilliant. <br /><br />"The queues are pretty big. It's going to take a lot longer than usual to get served but you don't mind waiting at these prices."<br /><br />Another customer Paul Hurst, 49, of Halesowen, added: "I've never seen an offer this cheap. It must be the cheapest portion of fish and chips anywhere in the country. <br /><br />"I remember one doing 99p previously but this is just absolutely crazy. Nothing costs 1pm anymore. Even penny sweets. <br /><br />"I'm just hoping I can get served and back to work again on my lunch break. But I'm not missing out on this."<br /><br />Manager Aggie Orthodoxou – who has worked at the chippy since it opened two and a half years ago – said he was expecting "mayhem."<br /><br />Speaking ahead of the one-day-only offer, the 52-year-old said: "We are doing regular cod and chips for a penny. I think this will be absolute mayhem.<br /><br />"We are going to do a bit for charity too and put money towards the poppy appeal.<br /><br />"We did fish and chips half price for the King's Coronation last year and that was a big success as well."<br /><br />Merchants opens from 12pm to 2pm and then 4.30pm to 8.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, from 12pm to 9pm on Fridays and from 12pm to 8.30pm on Saturdays.<br /><br />The business will offer the one-penny deal during its usual opening hours today - but only while stock lasts.
