I visited Swindon's number one rated fish and chip shop on a miserable rainy Tuesday night to check how good it really is.

Before I visited Lucy’s Fish Bar, I admit I thought most chippies were similar enough. 

Fried fish, fried fish, a feeling of greasy regret afterwards. How different could it be?

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And although I enjoyed my meal, my mind was not too much changed initially.

Swindon Advertiser: The bright lights of Lucy's

This was until my friend at home asked me, ‘How was your fish and chips?’ and only then did I realise it was absolutely brilliant.

I drove to Lucy’s on Penhill Drive and immediately spotted the sign through the drizzle, the brightest object around.

Having parked I ordered a haddock and chips (£8.10). The prices are cheap here, with medium cod for £5 and small chips £2.40.

Swindon Advertiser: My haddock and chips

Lucy’s is a big shop on the inside, with wood panel walls and mirrors giving it a promising old-fashioned feel and large floor-space anticipating long queues.

While chatting with owner, Carlos Freitas, I start to regret my choice of fish as he tells me about the cod which is wild caught in Norway.

The potatoes are also chosen very carefully for their flavour. He is currently serving a variety called Agria, which he chooses for their quick fry-time and flavour.

The food was ready in 10 minutes and I took it to eat in my car, because what is better than eating hot fish and chips in your car with the heating on and rain outside?

Swindon Advertiser: Owner, Carlos Freitas, 50 and wife

It was a humble dish, which is suitable for an essentially simple combination of potato and dish and oil.

There was no fancy swirling beer-batter, nor were the chips triple-cooked.

The batter was quite thin, yet crispy and stuck to the fish so that I could pick it up and eat it like a sandwich - but not one where the filling would fall out.

The chips had a thin crisp and were soft on the inside, with some of those nice crispy little ones at the bottom.

But the way I really knew this was a class above was how it made me feel.

I am sure it was not, but this felt healthy. I genuinely felt better after eating this fish and chips than I did before.

You can get lots at Lucy’s including a jacket potato (£2), kebabs (£5) and pukka pies (£3).

But I know I will be back to try the Norwegian cod.