Furious residents have hit out at a council’s order to remove an ‘inappropriate’ Union Flag mural from the side of an award-winning fish and chip shop.
Chris Kanizi, 65, who owns the Golden Chippy in Greenwich, south-east London, has been asked to paint over the mural of the humanoid fish, which is adored by tourists.
The Cypriot-born chef, who has run the Golden Chippy for 20 years and lives two doors down, said tourists have been drawn to the area because of the mural, which was deemed “inappropriate” according to Telegraph.
Greenwich Council said it received a number of complaints about the mural, which it considered an “unauthorised advertisement”.
However, locals have hit back at the council’s order, questioning why they are not removing some of the graffiti in the area instead of the ‘fantastic’ mural, which features the phrase ‘A Great British Meal’.
A local woman said the council ‘wouldn’t complain’ if it was a Banksy and questioned why other artists can’t ‘light up the streets’.
Chris Kanizi, 65, who owns the Golden Chippy in Greenwich, south-east London, has been asked to paint over the mural of the humanoid fish, which is adored by tourists
Locals mean ‘they only get the hump because of the flag. What’s wrong with It looks okay’
Pictured: Golden Chippy owner Chris Kanizi stands next to the Union Flag mural painted on the side of his restaurant
Chris Kanizi, 65, keeps fish in his award-winning restaurant in south-east London
Kanizi paid a local artist £250 to paint the mural, which is loved by tourists
She told GB News: ‘(It’s a) fantastic piece of art. I really like it. It reminds me of Banksy. If it was a Banksy there, they wouldn’t complain.
‘Why can’t other artists who also do such amazing work also have the opportunity to light up the streets with joy.’
Another resident questioned why the council is not cleaning up some of the graffiti around Greenwich Village instead of trying to remove the ‘popular’ mural.
He said: ‘They only get the hump because of the flag. What’s wrong with It looks okay.
“Look at some of the graffiti they have around Greenwich Village. They don’t want to take it down, do they.
“But when you have a mural like this that’s halfway decent, they want to take it down.”
A third resident said: ‘It doesn’t offend me at all. It’s a fish and chip shop isn’t it? I have nothing against it. It’s just part of the advertising.’
A fourth added: ‘I think it’s quite good and quite beautiful. It shows the UK flag and I think that’s good. I don’t think they should take it down’.
It is not the first time Mr Kanizi, who came to Britain from Cyprus in 1977, has fallen out with the council.
Back in 2016, he had a battle with the council over a 17ft sign above the door of his restaurant, which was previously voted London’s top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor. The restaurateur eventually removed the 17ft sign in 2018.
The new mural, which was painted by local artists Graffiti Interiors, is a recreation of the 2016 sign.
The Golden Chippy was voted London’s best restaurant by TripAdvisor in 2016
The Golden Chippy was voted London’s best restaurant in 2016 by TripAdvisor
Greenwich Council said it received a ‘number of complaints’ about the mural (pictured), which features the phrase ‘A Great British Meal’, which it said was an ‘unauthorised advertisement’
Kanizi in front of the 2016 sign, which he took down after the local council ordered it removed
Chris Kanizi has served locals and tourists for 20 years in his fish shop
The 65-year-old doesn’t think any local residents have complained about the mural, as all he’s gotten are compliments.
He said: ‘It’s just something to make people smile. But the council said “this is a conservation area – you can’t have that and you have to paint over it”.
“They also said that people had complained, but I don’t believe that. Everyone who has spoken to me says they love it’.
The fish and chip expert has vowed to keep the new £250 mural up for as long as possible.
He said: ‘I will stick it out as long as I can. They haven’t given me a date to paint over it yet, but they will.’
‘I have so many international customers. They all like to take a picture with the mural in the background.’
A spokesman for Greenwich Council said: ‘Following a number of complaints to local parish councillors, an enforcement action was taken in relation to the mural in question.
‘Our planning enforcement team are investigating this as it is effectively an unauthorized advertisement for the chip shop. The owner has agreed to paint over it.
“We will always try to negotiate with the owner before proceeding with formal planning enforcement.”