last week in Lidl they were doing cod for £2/ 250 g, delicious
this week the offer is over so I bought hake, the use by date is 17th Sept but Im afraid to eat it because it smells a bit
Its not just Lidl of course but why is so hard to get fish that isnt a little bit smelly and how much of a smell is acceptable?

Haven't you got a fishmonger where you live ? Most supermarkets sell fresh fish at a counter as well.

Ive bought iffy stuff from the local " fishmonger " too.

The freshest fish is frozen. It's frozen on the day its caught.
Unless you live somewhere that you can buy fish directly off the boat, of course.

Luckily for us local fishermen bring their morning catch to our village @ about 10.30 every morning.

seems daft but this is true - when I used to cook we used IQf fish - individually quick frozen on the boat - takes batter and cooks from frozen.
Boats can spend a week at sea with ice chilled fish which then have to be transported to where they are needed.

Fishmongers are very rare these days in my experience. Apart from stalls in the Victoria market I can't think of one still going in Nottingham.
Supermarket fish counters are pretty poor around here too - though Morrisons is very good. I suspect frozen probably is best if you can't get to the harbour!

We're so lucky - 3 fish mongers along our high street.

You obviously haven't been to Beeton then. There is a fab fishmongers called Hallam's. Take you are not near that part You should go

Cheeky! I have been to Beeston , (not that I recall Hallams). But for buying a bit of fish it's quite a way from where I am (Sherwood). We used to have a fishmonger here, and one not too far away in Mapperly - both long gone now.
I tend to make do with Morrisons and the occasional trip into Victoria market but neither are very convenient.

We have a fishmonger van that comes to the village twice a week, fresh from the docks that morning.

Unfortunately most fish has been dead for weeks by the time you buy it. Even if it isn't off, the flavour is almost gone. Fresh cod is a wonderful fish, old cod, even if frozen straight away, is a tasteless white lump by comparison.

Yes bit of a drive ! Morrison's definitely best for fish in supermarket range