‘If it was a Banksy they wouldn’t complain!’: Furious residents slam council orders to remove fish and chip shop’s ‘inappropriate’ Union flag mural – as owner says ‘popular’ artwork has attracted tourists taking selfies

By William On Mar 17, 2024

Furious residents have rejected a council order to remove an ‘inappropriate’ Union flag mural from the side of an award-winning fish and chip shop.

Chris Kanizi, 65, owner of Golden Chippy, in Greenwich, south-east London, has been told to paint over the mural of the humanoid fish, which is adored by tourists.

The Cyprus-born chef, who has run Golden Chippy for 20 years and lives two doors down, said tourists have been attracted to the area because of the mural, which authorities said was deemed “inappropriate”. Telegraph.

Greenwich City Council said they had received a number of complaints about the mural, which they deemed an ‘unauthorized 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 ‘fabulous’ mural, which features the phrase ‘A Great British Meal’.

A local woman said the council ‘wouldn’t complain’ if it was a Banksy and wondered why other artists ‘can’t light up the streets’.

Chris Kanizi, 65, owner of Golden Chippy, in Greenwich, south-east London, has been told to paint over the mural of the humanoid fish adored by tourists

On local thinks ‘they only get the bump because of the flag. What is wrong with. It looks good’

Pictured: Chris Kanizi, owner of Golden Chippy, standing next to the Union Flag mural on the side of his restaurant

Chris Kanizi, 65, holds up fish in his award-winning restaurant in south-east London

Mr Kanizi paid a local artist £250 to paint the mural, which is a favorite with tourists

She told GB News: ‘(It’s a) fantastic work of art. I like it very much. It reminds me of Banksy. If it was a Banksy there, they wouldn’t complain.

‘Why can’t other artists who are also doing such fantastic work also have the opportunity to brighten up the streets?’

Another resident questioned why the council isn’t cleaning up some of the graffiti around the village of Greenwich instead of trying to remove the ‘popular’ mural.

He said, “They only get the bump because of the flag. What is wrong with. It looks good.

“Look at the graffiti they put up in the village of Greenwich. They don’t want to take that away, do they?

“But if you have a mural like that that’s half decent, they want to take it down.”

A third resident said: ‘It doesn’t bother me at all. It’s a fish and chip shop, isn’t it? I do not mind. It’s just part of the advertising.’

A fourth added: ‘I think it’s quite good and quite beautiful. It has the flag of Great Britain on it and I like that. I don’t think they should take it down.’

It is not the first time that Mr Kanizi, who came to Britain from Cyprus in 1977, has clashed with the council.

In 2016, he had a row with the council over an 18-foot sign above the door of his restaurant, which was previously named London’s best-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor. The restorer eventually removed the 17ft sign in 2018.

The new mural, 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

Greenwich Council said they had received a ‘number of complaints’ about the mural (pictured), which features the phrase ‘A Great British Meal’. They said it was an “unauthorized advertisement.”

Mr Kanizi in front of the 2016 sign which he removed after the council ordered its removal

Chris Kanizi has been serving locals and tourists in his fish shop for twenty years

The 65-year-old doesn’t believe locals have complained about the mural as he has received nothing but compliments.

He said: ‘It’s just something to put a smile on people’s faces. But the council said: “This is a protected area, you can’t have it and you have to paint over it.”

‘They also said 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 for as long as possible.

He said, ‘I’m going to keep it going as long as I can. They haven’t given me a date to paint it yet, but they will.”

‘I have so many international customers. They all enjoy taking a photo with the mural in the background.”

A spokesperson for Greenwich Council said: ‘Following a number of complaints to local ward councillors, an enforcement case was brought against the mural in question.

‘Our Planning Enforcement team is investigating this as it is in fact an unauthorized advertisement for the chip shop. The owner has agreed to paint over it.

“We will always attempt to negotiate with the owner before proceeding with a formal enforcement notice.”