A Scottish author was so impressed with a fish supper he had in Arbroath he composed a poem in its honour.
Inspiration struck Johnny Gauld, who also goes under the name of Caledonian Cowboy, after he tasted the fish and chips at Peppo’s Harbour Chip Bar last month.
He cooked up a six verse poem the same night, proclaiming it Scotland’s greatest fish supper.
Johnny then surprised the owners of the long-established business when he returned to Arbroath and piping the poem into the shop.
A Bold Statement Indeed (Scotland’s Greatest Fish Supper) is now proudly displayed in the shop, which has been a fixture in Arbroath since 1951.
Mr Gauld, 43, said: “I try fish suppers throughout the country. Anyone who has a fish supper knows if it’s a good one or a bad one. It’s like having a good or bad pint or a good or bad girlfriend.
“Peppo’s in Arbroath I always knew it was good. I had my first supper there in a wee while about six weeks ago and I just thought that’s the best by far.
“I asked Rob Johnston, who is the proprietor of Osborne Guest House, to carry the poem down the street behind me and hold it proudly aloft as I played the bagpipes.
“As we piped it into the shop, the owners started dancing and the two young lassies they’ve got serving the fish and chips started having a ceilidh behind the counter.
“Then I made the announcement that I’ve written this poem as a tribute to the greatest fish supper in Scotland. They were totally over the moon with it.”
Yesterday evening Peppo’s owners Johnny and Frank Orsi described the accolade as “brilliant”.
“The guy’s been in before and always says they are braw but we never expected all this,” said Johnny, who took over the business from his father 41 years ago.
“We started dancing when he came in and then he presented the poem.
“We were chuffed when we read it. I then danced down the street as he played the pipes.”
The Glasgow-based writer was a frequent visitor to Arbroath as a child, with six weeks of every summer spent at the Red Lion Caravan Park.
Mr Gauld describes Peppo’s fish supper as “old fashioned, in a good way”.
“The fish itself is as fresh as you could possibly get and the batter – you don’t get batter like that anywhere else I know of. It’s crispy and dead tasty,” he said.
“The chips remind me of chips you used to get years and years ago – whatever he’s doing with his frying is perfect, 10 out of 10.”
Mr Gauld often returns to the area and Seaton Cliffs in the town were the basis of a collection of poems composed over a 24 hour period as he walked from Arbroath to Auchmithie.
The town also featured in three chapters of his book Gie’s A Shot, in which he tried a variety of different occupations. He learned how to make Arbroath smokies, tended to Arbroath FC’s turf at Gayfield and heading out to sea from the town’s harbour to collect lobster creels.
A Bold Statement Indeed (Scotland’s Greatest Fish Supper)
By Johnny Gauld
A question long asked,
But who is up tae the task?
An’ by their answer they’ll dare boldly stand.
Whilst so many they claim,
That there’s nane like their ain,
An’ theirs in the best in the land.
Some say it’s up north,
Or the west islands of course,
Mebbe the borders or somewhere they’ve roamed,
But far the travels I’ve done,
The fish supper that’s won,
Is jis that wee bit more closer tae home.
So let my opinion noo scupper,
Debates o’ the greatest fish supper,
An’ there’s nae need tae get pent up or hoarse.
For the truest answer I’ve found,
Through oor great ciries an’ towns,
Is Peppo’s in Arbroath of course.
