EDDIE Maloney has been running a Barrow chippy for 33 years and says he's never happier than when a new batch of potatoes comes in.

In a strange twist of reality, Andy's Takeaway, at 1 Hastings Street, Walney, is run by Eddie and his two children.

"What you don't realise is that in early June, the potatoes from the farms have been in the barn since last September, so they're not the best by any means.

"That's when we were supposed to get the new lot, but they've been later this year because the farms were trying to get rid of last years', when they had loads left over.

The shipment of brand-new potatoes is here, however, and he's desperate for his customers to try them.

"The old ones make a drier, flakier chip.  The new ones are loads better."

He started running Andy's Takeaway in 1988 after previously running a chippy in Wigan for 16 years.

"I've been doing this for a long time so you could say I know my potatoes.  There is a big difference in the varieties of potato, but also the age.

"We used to get kinds of varieties; Accord, Sigita.  When I started it was all Maris Piper.

"While different potatoes chip differently, when they've been out of the ground for so long the age is the biggest problem."

While a potato expert like Eddie can tell the difference, however, it hasn't put people off his chippy.

"Sometimes I'll come in at 3 o' clock and there'll be 30 or 40 orders already in.  Even last night, we had to turn the website off because there were so many orders!

"We have seven people driving and it's impossible to keep up with demand.  When you have 10 orders all due for 6 o'clock, it can't be done."

He opens Monday to Saturday in the morning 11.30am-1.15pm, and every day 4.00pm-8.30pm.  He says that business has been up and down for the past year but the community keeps him going.

"I’m fortunate that I’ve done a job for 49 years and I’ve loved every minute of it.  Not everyone can say that.

"When I started, a little toddler was coming in and now they come in with their own children.

"Until I get up in the morning and think 'do I have to go to work today?' That's the moment I’ll stop."