Cast your eyes back to August in Swindon and things seemed quite different then.
Warmer temperatures, bins collected fortnightly and a certain Adver reporter had the misfortune of having to eat at a particular zero-rated town chip shop.
Fast forward to December and it is bitterly cold and the whole waste collection system in Swindon has changed dramatically.
Yet I discovered some things do not change after I returned to Mr Cod to review the fish and chip once more following its reopening.
Mr Cod can be found on Cricklade Road in Swindon. (Image: Dave Cox)
Many will recall that the Cricklade Road chippy scored a worrying zero-out-of-five for food hygiene following an inspection in June.
This prompted a maiden review in August only to find that my order was not only disappointing in taste but also resembled a battered garden trowel.
The takeaway then went on to score a consecutive zero rating later that month after a visit from Swindon Borough Council’s Environmental Health inspectors.
It then temporarily closed in October before eventually reopening in November.
Ed ordered the small cod and chips from Mr Cod. (Image: Newsquest)
With the return of twice zero-rated Mr Cod to Swindon, it seemed only right to see if things had improved four months later.
This, as I and my poor palette were about to discover, was not the case.
I entered the fabled ground to make my order on Wednesday evening, noticing that I couldn't find the zero hygiene rating.
Despite trying to follow my Scarborough roots and order haddock, I was informed that there was none available so I opted to order the brand’s namesake instead.
Mr Cod reopened last month after a temporary closure. (Image: Newsquest)
Armed with a small cod and chips for just under £10, I returned home nervous and apprehensive.
Call me Sherlock Holmes because I was unfortunately right in my deductions after taking the first bite.
Was the fish shaped like a garden tool again? No, but it certainly tasted like something you’d scoop up with one.
The batter was extremely stodgy and bland, creating a thick layer of coating around the fish which was far from the crispy exterior one would expect.
Ed Burnett's first visit to Mr Cod came back in August. (Image: Newsquest)
Inside, the fish was just as tasteless as the batter with the added feature of being grainy and falling apart too easily.
The chips again were somewhat of a saving grace and less greasy than before but then again, how hard is it to master the art of cooking chips at a chippy?
Readers will be pleased to know that I was okay the following morning unlike my first dining experience with Mr Cod, but a second visit certainly did not change my view.
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