Support our Nation today - please donate here
Culture

New Caroline Street chippy reopens name debate

22 Jan 2024 3 minute read
The new Chippy Lane chip shop (Credit: Difflomats Facebook)

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!

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.

The Working Word ad that has sparked debate (Credit: Working Word)

“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!


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
8 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Steve George
Steve George
8 months ago

Caroline Street! Anything else is the invention of the Western Mail/Wales Online and/or non-Cardiffian blow-ins! Oh, and the Dorothy’s chicken curry off the bone is the only one for me!

Cardiff John
Cardiff John
8 months ago
Reply to  Steve George

Quite right. Names made up by and for students and visitors. Cardiff people have always called it Caroline Street

Dai Rob
Dai Rob
8 months ago

Personally, I called it “Puke Street” or “Vomit Lane”…..

Stevie B
Stevie B
8 months ago

It’s called Caroline Street.

Karl
Karl
8 months ago

It’s always been Caroline street to anyone I know from Cardiff or like me further out. And from that name, you thought a bag of chips or a kebab. Or these days alot more variety. Chippy undermines whats on offer

Jason
Jason
8 months ago
Reply to  Karl

Always called it chippy Lane

CapM
CapM
8 months ago

Maybe the “Chippy” is because of the attitude of some of its chucking out time clientele.

oatmaster
oatmaster
8 months ago

Chip Alley seemed to be the most common name amongst people in Newport, fwiw.

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.