Every Friday, you'll see a queue of people waiting outside the much-loved Friar Tuck chippy in Exeter. Everyone's happy to wait because they all say the food is definitely worth it.

Garry and Tracy Webber are the proud owners of the beloved fish and chip shop and have been in business for close to 10 years - so it's hardly a surprise they know what their regulars like to eat without them even saying. And they've made lots of friends along the way.

It's not just the yummy food and friendly service that keeps people coming back. It's also the fun chats they have with the couple when it's not too busy.

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DevonLive paid a visit last year and were taken in by its lovely, lively atmosphere. One person, who had been there four times that week, said: "You get the perfect food here. I just love this fish and chip shop; it's brilliant. It's the best one I have ever been to."

Another happy customer, who wanted some crispy gribbles with their meal, said: "It's that good people keep coming back regularly."

Cod and chips at Friar Tuck in Exeter
Cod and chips at Friar Tuck in Exeter

And it's not just folks from nearby; people come from places like Exmouth, Crediton, Cranbrook, and even campers from Crealy pop by for a bite.

Speaking previously to DevonLive, Garry said: "I know all the customers and 75 per cent of them I know by name. Many have been coming in here for years and years. They came in as kids and now they come in with their own kids."

"A lot of people come here for a yap and a good chat. We get customers who just pop in for a chat on their way past. It's a great community around here. Fridays are mental. You often get people up to by the hairdressers."

Friar Tuck is nestled behind the main Pinhoe Road in Whipton Village Road, where Garry used to deliver pasties before he was offered a job there. The chippy goes through a ton and a quarter of potatoes and roughly 300 to 400lbs of fish each week.

Garry explained: "We try to keep our menu minimal and realistic. The bestseller, of course, is cod and chips. Our potatoes come from Cambridge or Shropshire like a lot of other people and our fish comes from Plymouth."

Garry Webber, the owner of Friar Tuck in Exeter
Garry Webber, the owner of Friar Tuck in Exeter

"To make good chips you need damn good clean oil all the time. We have a machine that cleans our oil twice a day. If it's not clean then everything goes soggy. You also have to know what you're doing like cooking them at the right temperature."

"When it comes to the fish, your batter mix doesn't want to be too thick or thin. The oil temperature also has to be right otherwise you get soggy fish."

However, you won't catch Garry enjoying a portion of fish and chips. "We don't eat it," he confessed.

"We are just fed up with eating them!"

Teegan, Garry and Tracy's teenage daughter, also works at the chippy. But she doesn't plan on making the chippy her permanent job.

Reflecting on his 25 years at Friar Tuck, Garry said: "It's exactly the same to be honest although all the prices are obviously different. Our profit margins have down a lot but it is what it is."

Friars Tuck welcomes customers five days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday, opening at noon to 1.30pm for lunch and then again from 5pm to 8pm for dinner.

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