Double Celebration for Pier Point: Two Quality Awards Recognise Our Food, Team and Torquay Hospitality

We have some exciting news to share from Pier Point!

Our team is celebrating not one, but two recent independent quality accreditations, recognising everything from the food we serve and the local suppliers we work with to our customer service, team development and the overall Pier Point experience.

We have once again achieved the prestigious National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) Quality Accreditation, while also receiving Gold in the Casual Dining category at the Taste of the West Hospitality & Retail Awards 2026.

For owner Lorraine Arnold and the entire Pier Point team, receiving the two recognitions so close together makes them particularly special.

The NFFF Quality Accreditation is an important benchmark within the fish and chip industry, looking closely at the standards behind the food customers ultimately see on their plate.

Businesses are assessed across areas including food quality, hygiene and cleanliness, staff training, equipment, frying skills, fish traceability and responsible sourcing.

For Lorraine, there is a little bit of history attached to this particular accreditation.

She was the first in the Bay to achieve the accreditation at her previous venue, and today Pier Point remains the only venue in the Bay to hold it.

Lorraine said:

“I’m incredibly proud that we have achieved the accreditation again. It means a lot to me personally because I’ve seen the standards behind it throughout my career, but today it’s very much a team achievement.

“Our team work incredibly hard to maintain those standards every day. From how we source and prepare our food to the welcome our customers receive, there are so many people involved in delivering the final Pier Point experience.”

Our second reason to celebrate comes from the Taste of the West Hospitality & Retail Awards 2026, where Pier Point has once again achieved Gold in the Casual Dining category.

An independent judge visited us on 31 August and assessed the complete Pier Point experience, including our local sourcing, quality of food, service, atmosphere and value for money.

We were delighted that the judge recognised our “great commitment to using local produce”, highlighting that our food is freshly prepared and that we work with local suppliers wherever possible, including our fishmonger, potato grower and fruit and vegetable supplier.

Of course, we were also very pleased with the food feedback!

Our salt and pepper squid was described as “delicious”, while the fish and chips and lemon and parsley pollock were both praised, with the judge noting that the ingredients were fresh and well cooked.

Food is only one part of hospitality, and some of our favourite comments were actually about our people.

The judge described the service as “absolutely excellent”, saying that our team were friendly, informative and a credit to Pier Point.

Most importantly, they said:

For us, there couldn’t be a much better compliment.

Lorraine said:

“Reading the feedback about our team was probably the part that made me proudest. Awards are wonderful, but hospitality is about people.

“We want every person who walks through our doors to feel genuinely welcome and valued, whether they live around the corner and visit us regularly or they’re discovering Torquay for the first time.

“Our team make that happen, and these awards are recognition of the standards they deliver day after day.”

We have always wanted Pier Point to offer something beyond people’s traditional expectations of a fish and chip restaurant.

Our position overlooking beautiful Torquay Harbour, locally sourced produce, wider seafood and casual dining menu and indoor and outdoor dining all contribute to the experience we want to create.

So we couldn’t help smiling when the Taste of the West judge recognised exactly that.

The assessor praised the “fantastic atmosphere and a buzzy vibe”, our harbourside setting and the restaurant’s ability to cater for customers throughout the seasons.

And when considering value for money, the feedback summed up Pier Point perfectly: “it is a lot more than that and worth every penny.”

We’re also particularly pleased that both accreditations recognise something that has always mattered to us – where our food comes from and the businesses and community around us.

Taste of the West highlighted not only our local suppliers but the way we communicate their stories, alongside our team’s connection with organisations including Rowcroft Hospice and the Fishermen’s Mission.

Lorraine added:

“We’re very proud to be an independent Torquay business. Supporting local suppliers, developing our team and being involved in our community are all part of what Pier Point is about.

“We never take recognition like this for granted. It makes us stop for a moment and appreciate how far we’ve come, but it also motivates us to keep improving.

“A huge thank you has to go to our brilliant team, our suppliers and, of course, our customers. Whether you’ve supported us from the beginning or you’ve only recently discovered Pier Point, thank you for being part of our journey.”

Two independent accreditations. Two fantastic reasons to celebrate.

But most importantly, one very proud Pier Point team.