PENN Hill in Poole is having a moment. Barely a month goes by without a trendy new store, cafe or bar popping up on the block.

Earlier this year, a smart-looking chip shop called Fish at Penn appeared, but when I tried to check it out, there were people queuing out of the door.

A few weeks ago though I had more luck.

The place is bright and light with a natural wood effect floor, a couple of flat TV screens showing what’s on the menu and jars of pickled eggs, onions and gherkins decoratively displayed on the counter.

There was even a promotion for health drinks which would usually be incongruous in a chippy, but not so much here.

Most of the fish on offer is cod and haddock – apparently it is filleted and frozen at sea within four hours of being caught.

Once I had placed my order, I had less than a five-minute wait perched on one of the wicker chairs in the window.

The service was quick and my haddock, chips and pea fritter were packaged in a crisp white paper bag.

My pea fritter was a novel twist on traditional mushy peas – crispy on the outside and packed with a soft pea puree inside.

The chips were nice and chunky, not too greasy – apparently they are cut from Maris Piper potatoes and fried twice to ensure they are crispy on the outside and soft inside.

My haddock was packed with fleshy, white fish encased in a light batter but the skin was still soft on one side which I personally don’t like.

Everything is sustainably sourced so you can enjoy your meal with a clear conscience.

You have to pay 35p for sachets of ketchup though, so if you’re partial to the red sauce, you’d better bring your own bottle.