At popular Marstons Chicken Shop time flies faster than the food.

The iconic family business celebrates its 30th anniversary today with a lip-smacking offer which has had customers queuing out of the door.

There are often lines of hungry diners snaking round the car park but to mark the special birthday, Marstons is selling its famous portion of two fried chicken legs and chips for just £1 with proceeds to Kirkwood Hospice.

Marstons American Fried Chicken, Leeds Road, Bradley, Huddersfield celebrates 30 years with £1 offer.

Not surprisingly that has meant bigger lunchtime queues than usual all week – and the offer continues until Saturday.

Marstons, based in Leeds Road, Bradley, was the brainchild of Colnebridge farmer John Marston who teamed up with eldest daughter Hazel Dransfield.

The duo launched their own American fried chicken on an unsuspecting Huddersfield on August 5 1985 and have never looked back.

Two years later John’s other daughter Jane Atkinson dropped out of university to join the business and the appetite for Marstons coated chicken exploded.

Mum-of-two Jane, 47, said she couldn’t believe it was 30 years and added: “Time flies and we have just seen the business grow through word of mouth.

“If there’s a secret I don’t know what it is. If we knew that everyone could do it!

“We just love what we do and take pride in our product. Our staff have the same pride and we treat our customers as extended family. We’ve seen families grow up.”

Jane Atkinson in the kitchen at Marstons Chicken Shop in Leeds Road, Bradley.

John, a dairy farmer, bought the shop intending to open a butcher’s but decided against it.

“I was looking at a farm shop but there was one on every corner, now there’s two! Someone mentioned a chicken shop – because we also had hens – more as a joke.

“But we looked into it and my daughter looked at some equipment in Bridlington and we bought it.”

John and Hazel went to a chicken shop in Harrogate to pick up some ideas and then learned as they went on.

Marstons American Fried Chicken, Leeds Road, Bradley, Huddersfield celebrates 30 years with £1 offer.

John, now 79, was undaunted at launching a business he knew nothing about. “My wife, mother and grandmother could all cook so it was in my genes,” he said.

The Marstons recipe remains a secret but all the family will say is that the chicken is the best quality and fresh and the coating recipe hasn’t changed.

John, who retired when he was 67, said: “If something is doing well don’t alter it. Our secret is simple: 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”

Marstons now employs 26 people with Hazel’s son Andrew, 17, and daughter Sarah, 19, and Jane’s son Gregory, 19, all involved.

The founder of Marstons in Leeds Road, Bradley, John Marston, with daughters Jane Atkinson (left) and Hazel Dransfield.

To mark their big week staff from Huddersfield Mercedes in Leeds Road – regular customers – have lent them a Smart car liveried up with their anniversary logo.

And every day this week up to and including Saturday (11.30am-3.30pm) customers can buy two legs and chips for £1 instead of £3.60. All proceeds go to Kirkwood Hospice.

Hazel said: “We just wanted to do something for the community. Hopefully we won’t run out of chicken!”

Marstons American Fried Chicken, Leeds Road, Bradley, Huddersfield celebrates 30 years with £1 offer - Ryan Gains of Smart Car with owner Hazel Dransfield.

Customers can’t get enough of Marstons. Jonny Ryan, 30, brought girlfriend Nicole and a
friend’s daughter Grace, nine, all the way from Lidget Green in Bradford – just for a Marstons.

“It’s the best chicken in Yorkshire,” he said.

Lisa Maturine, 30, only travelled from Deighton but said: “I’ve been coming here since I was five, and I’m the same age as Marstons!

“The wings are my favourite. The coating just tastes better.”