Chippy tea and a good read

The historic Diggle Chippy is offering food for thought with a choice of books in return for a donation to Oldham Mountain Rescue Team (OMRT). Owners Rachel and Stephen Wood began the “mini reading room” scheme a few months ago.

FOODIES visiting Saddleworth’s smallest fish and chip shop can get hooked — book, line and thinker.

For in addition to a wide range of lip-smacking goodies, the historic Diggle Chippy is offering food for thought with a choice of books in return for a donation to Oldham Mountain Rescue Team (OMRT).

The novel, generous-spirited scheme launched at the distinctive black and white painted premises in Huddersfield Road is such a success it has raised more than £1,000 for the Saddleworth-based team.

An OMRT spokesman said: “It’s the smallest shop with the biggest heart. They’ve raised a shed load of cash for us — a truly great achievement.”

Owners Rachel and Stephen Wood began the “mini reading room” scheme a few months ago.

“I’m a prolific reader, a real book worm,” explained Rachel, a mother of two. “So I just thought it would be a good idea to pass the books on when I’d finished reading them.

“I decided to invite customers to take a book of their choice and make a donation to mountain rescue at the same time.

“The idea really took off and customers began bringing their own books along to the chippy and things have just grown from there.”

The books — which range from novels to hard-back classics — are placed in a box under the chip shop’s front window giving customers a chance to browse while they wait to collect their food.
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