End Of An Era: Former Lake Fish And Chip Shop Set To Become Part Of Family Home

A once popular Isle of Wight fish and chip shop will be lost forever.

Tina Brittain has been granted prior approval for a change of use of part of 16 Sandown Road in Lake – previously home to the Lake Fish Bar which ceased trading in August 2023.

The commercial premises has been vacant since the closure and despite her ‘best endeavours’ the applicant has not been able to sell the business, according to a statement from Andrew White Planning Consultancy.

It said:

“The applicant and her late husband purchased the premises, including the takeaway shop and attached three-bedroom house, in June 2000.

“It had been trading as a fish and chip shop since 1978.

"Sandown Road through Lake has a mixed character comprising ground floor commercial units with residential above or standalone residential dwellings.

“With the general decline in town centre commercial activity and high level of vacant premises there is an inevitable shift towards greater residential.”

The shop is to form part of the existing house at the site which will have four bedrooms.

County Hall’s decision report on 25/01360/3MPA said:

“The proposed change of use of the ground floor from fish and chip takeaway to residential floorspace, together with alterations to the external appearance of the property would not result in any adverse impacts in terms of highway safety, contamination, flooding, loss of a desirable use, design or in the provision of adequate natural light to habitable spaces.”