Malt Vinegar with Fish & Chips

So I was looking for some history on why people use malt vinegar on fish & chips. Personally, I like it because it cuts through the grease & takes away from any fishy taste that might be present.
I started thinking about the first time I had fish & chips. Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips in Columbus, Ohio 1969. Arthur Treacher was famous for playing british butlers in various films. Growing up I was an avid Shirley Temple fan, in fact my mother used to fix my hair in "Shirley Temple curls"--Arthur Treacher played his butler role in the appropriately named ST movie "Curly Top". But I think I remember him the best from the Merv Griffin show; I can't remember if he was a side-kick or if he was just on there a lot. Back then Merv was one of the few who had a variety type talk show kinda thing going on. It was on TV in the afternoons, so it was my after-school special.
Anyway, the fish & chips from Auuuuuuuuthur (as he pronounced it) Treachers Fish & Chips came wrapped in newspaper & was doused with malt vinegar--YUM!
I really didn't find out the how or why the association with malt vinegar & fish & chips exists, so if you know, please email us at: vinegar.uses@gmail.com