Shoebury East Beach 'top quality' fish and chip shop to open

Owner Daniel Levy has confirmed the details to the Echo and said he hopes to fully open on Shoebury beach by the end of April.

Mr Levy who is working flat-out to get his restaurant kitted out, has already opened a coffee and ice cream window for certain days of the week.

He said: “We’ll be fully open by the end of April. We’ve got a coffee and ice cream window open on certain days because we have to keep closing as we’re having a floor put down and ventilation put in.

“It’s not guaranteed but we should be fully operational by the end of the month.

Peter Lovett, chairman of Shoebury Residents’ Association, welcomed the news (Image: File photo)

“The building is completely empty. It’s an empty shell. We didn’t get the keys until Wednesday and I managed to get something open on Friday.

“It’s going to be a fish and chip restaurant with top quality burgers on the menu. There will be a full takeaway facility with bacon rolls, breakfasts, things like that. We should be open until late in the evening.”

The cafe is selling ice cream at weekends and on some sunny days in between until the grand opening.

The cafes were built by Southend Council and leased to tenants.

A second operator is said to be in talks with the council to take over the other café.

Peter Lovett, chairman of Shoebury Residents’ Association, welcomed the news the cafe will soon be open. He said: “We’ve had quite a few requests for information about when it was going to open. People can’t wait for it to be open because it will make a huge difference to East Beach.

“It’s positive news. The café will brighten up the area and it will be nice for people to have somewhere to get a coffee. A fish and chip restaurant will be great.”

The cafes were built on the site of a former cafe which burnt down more than 20 years ago.

They form part of a £2 million regeneration scheme and sail-like canopies were included in the design for outdoor dining.