New Caroline Street chippy reopens name debate

It appears to be a debate as old as time.Well, that’s how long it’s caused a difference of opinion amongst the denizens of the Welsh capital.

As famous globally as Cardiff Castle and the River Taff, the number one late-night destination for a bag of chips, curry half and half or just a battered sausage to soak up the booze has been the subject of an ongoing conversation that has raged for decades – just what is the fast food Mecca best known as?

Of course, officially it appears on a map as Caroline Street, and for many that’s also what it’s best known as, but just as many more it’s also called Chippy Lane and Chip Alley.

Now, the debate has once again reared its head with the opening of a new chip shop situated along from those most famous of Cardiff eateries, Dorothy’s and Tony’s.

And it’s got people talking because it’s called Chippy Lane.

Emblazoned with a distinctive London-like street sign, it’s certainly got debate raging – and for a newly opened business, well that can’t be a bad thing.

And let’s be honest at 2 or 3am when all you need is a bag of chips, who cares what it’s called!

Good to see Chippy Lane CF10 on Caroline Street highlighting local landmarks inside the shop – including HMP Cardiff! (PJ) pic.twitter.com/GbcLz49tKp

— Pint of 45 (@pintof45) January 21, 2024

Last year leading Welsh communications agency sparked debate over the rightful name for Cardiff’s legendary chippy thoroughfare.

Working Word, a communications company based in the Welsh capital, reopened one of the longest running debates in the history of the city with their provocative billboard ad.

Working Word managing director Dan Tyte said: “I’m a Splott boy. I’m proud of Cardiff. We can boast many things: more impressionist art than anywhere outside Paris. More movie studio space than anywhere outside London in the UK. More hours of sunshine a year than Milan (thanks 80s TV show ‘Why Don’t You?’ for that questionable fact’). That fastest growing capital city in Europe line we’ve all heard a million times. But really, nowhere else in the world will you find after hours dining quite like in Cardiff.

“It’s always made me laugh how entrenched people are in their name for the street. Language evolves. Things change. Younger people tend to call it Chippy Lane, whereas my 68 year old dad wouldn’t call it anything other than Caroline Street. And then some go for Chip Alley.

“When we had the opportunity to put some billboards around Cardiff, we wanted to say something that’d mean something to people and get them talking. We’re all about getting messaging straight for some of Wales and the UK’s biggest organisations so figured we’d have some fun.”

So what do you call it?

Let us know and maybe we can finally put this debate to bed once and for all!