Fish and chip shop ordered to remove Union flag mural

An award-winning fish and chip shop has been ordered to remove a Union flag mural by council officials over claims it is 'inappropriate for the area'.

Chris Kanizi, 65, who owns Golden Chippy, in Greenwich, south-east London, has been told to paint over the mural of the humanoid fish on the wall of his restaurant.

Greenwich council said they received a 'number of complaints' about the mural, which features the phrase 'A Great British Meal', they said was an 'unauthorised advert'.

Mr Kansizi, who has been running Golden Chippy for 20 years and lives two doors down, said he doesn't believe people were complaining about the mural, which was deemed 'inappropriate' according to the Telegraph.

Back in 2016, the 65-year-old had a battle with the council over a 17ft sign above the door of his restaurant, which was previously named London's top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor. The restaurateur eventually took down the 17ft sign in 2018.

The new mural, which was painted by local artists Graffiti Interiors, is a recreation of the 2016 sign.

He said: 'It's just something to put a smile on people's faces. But the council said "this is a preservation area - you can't have that and you've got to paint over it".

'They also said people had been complaining, but I don't believe that. Everyone who has talked to me say they love it'.

The Cyprus-born chip shop owner, who came to the UK in 1977, previously had a two-year battle with the council over a similar 17ft sign he hung above the door in 2016.

Mr Kansizi eventually took the sign down despite starting a petition to keep the sign which gathered 3,000 signatures.

And the fish and chips expert has vowed to keep the £250 mural up for as long as possible.

A Greenwich council spokesman said: 'Following a number of complaints made to local ward councillors, an enforcement case was raised about the mural in question.

'Our Planning Enforcement team is investigating this as it is effectively an unauthorised advert for the chip shop. The owner has agreed to paint over it.'