Batter bits, scraps, gribbles

[Jansy]

I've just been to the local chippy and got some fish and chips, I asked if I could have some batter bits. The staff said, in unison, that they could not give me any because of "Health and safety". Is this correct? If so, why?
An answer will be gratefully received.

[IggyB]

I can assure you that nowhere within the health and safety legislation is there any mention of provision, or not, of batter bits in any way shape or form. This is another case of an organisation stating that health and safety is the issue when the truth is they simply want an excuse not to do something.

this article is about the problem of people making up health and safety excuses
http://www.bbc.co.uk/.../uk-politics-14634289

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Rubbish. In Yorkshire they ask you if you want them.

[lcg]

they're the best bit?! x

[lcg]

and the chippy bits x

[ummmm]

Yuk...

[paddywak]

We always get then round here, never been refused

[humbersloop]

No it isnt jansy, it's either idleness or a carp chippy with duff batter.

They call them scraps round here; if you want them, you ask for half and half and you get them on top of your chips. Our chippy dishes them out for nothing to the kids.

And then there was the enterprising soul...

http://www.guardian.c...ndhealth.foodanddrink

[ummmm]

It's like eating crunchy oil. I used to live next door to a chippy and as a kid they always offered them to me for free.

I don't even eat the batter on the fish.

[Dee Sa]

when I was a kid in Wales we called them chitlings and we used to buy a small bag of them for a penny ![ those were the days !]

[Jansy]

Thank you all for your replies, some interesting links there too.
Having worked in a chip shop for nearly 20 years, up to about 7 years ago, I found it to be absolutely absurd not to be able to have the batter bits. I even asked if I could have the ones in the fish display cabinet that had dropped from the fish, they said "no". So I said, "you can give me the fish from the cabinet but not the bits from there, how odd!"
I shall ask why it's a health and safety issue the next time that I go to that chippy, (when I can afford to!)

[ummmm]

Expensive now, aren't they? You could get a pub lunch for the price of fish and chips from chippy. They usually have fish and chips on the menu as well.

[Kiki-frog]

No, surely not! As kids we used to ask the fish and chip van man for scraps and he'd always scrape up a few and wrap them up for us. My mum was always horrified at us scrounging like that, but they just tased so good