Seafront on the up as restaurant prepares for facelift

Fisherman’s Wharf, a popular fixture below Pier Hill for more than 30 years, is to be demolished and rebuilt next year in an ambitious scheme to turn it into a “destination restaurant”.

The new building will run over two storeys and features a modern, glassy look, with the restaurant sizably increasing.

It will have capacity over both floors and a balcony overlooking the sea.

The first floor could also double as a function suite, while the lower floor will increase in size by about a third, with the outside being a decked area for summer eating.

Joanne Potton, the restaurant’smanager, said: “We’re very excited by this and we hope to make Fisherman’s Wharf into a destination restaurant that people from outside the borough come to.

“The building was put up in the Twenties and we’ve reached our limits in terms of size. We’re struggling to get everything in and not only will it have a modern look, it will be much easier for us.

“It will be radically different to what we have now and hopefully it means we won’t be turning away customers as I hate doing that.”

Mrs Potton, whose husband Mark is the chef, has said demand for the restaurant has grown since she took charge about five years ago, and there are regular waiting lists in the summer.

Pending planning permission, work is set to start October 2015, so the business does not miss out on the summer trade, with a predicted finish date pencilled in for April 2016.

About 20 extra jobs could be created as part of the expansion, as at the moment the restaurant has to employ between 30 to 40 people to cope with the summer demand.

A planning application could come forward in the coming weeks.

Mrs Potton, whose family has run the business for three decades, has been in negotiation with planners at Southend Council for two years.

The restaurant serves up a variety of seafood from the Estuary and has been doing so since the Thirties.

In 1986, it was refurbished and turned into Fisherman’s Wharf.

Peter Emptage, of Emptage Architects, which has designed the new building, said: “While the scheme is still at concept stage at the moment, this is a fantastic opportunity to improve the facility and make the most of the restaurant’s location in providing its customers with an exciting space and an amazing panoramic outlook.

“The scheme will obviously be the subject of a planning application and discussions on the materials and its contemporary design will feature strongly.”

THE man in charge of regeneration at Southend Council says he is hoping for a change in culture as fine-dining eateries flock to the seafront.

Fisherman’s Wharf’s transformation plan follows on from a series of high-calibre restaurants picking the seafront as the perfect spot to open.

Plush seafood and steak outlet, Bourgee, has opened while a rundown sun shelter in The Leas, Westcliff, is set to become a swish restaurant next year.

Major seafront developments are also hoping to lure in new restaurants, with the developers behind the Marine Plaza project hoping to attract the likes of Pizza Express and Nandos.

The new restaurants are following in the footsteps of some of the seafront’s old guard, including Toulouse, in Western Esplanade, and Ocean Beach, in Eastern Esplanade, showing the area can offer fine dining as well as traditional takeaways and fish and chip outlets.

Scott Dolling, head of economy, regeneration, and tourism at Southend Council, said: “Southend has a broad range of dining and we’ve got a good history of it, but if the town can get known as a place for fine dining, that would be amazing.

“We are trying to position Southend to a new audience and give them an enhanced view on what the borough can offer.

“We will always be popular with daytrippers, but we are trying to add to the length of time people stay in the borough and the sophistication of the offer.

“We want people to stay and explore the more cultural side of the town, the hidden treasures.

The restaurants we have seen open recently are perhaps reflecting that change in consumer demand.”

Mr Dolling put the recent investment in the town down to the improvements made in the City Beach project, the work being done by the people behind the Southend Business Improvement District, as well as funding from the Government.

Earlier this month the Echo revealed Goldfield Developments was planning to redevelop Marine Plaza into flats, restaurants, and shops.

Southend Council is also on the cusp of contracting a developer to transform Seaway car park, in Lucy Road, above the seafront.

This project will bring another cinema and a host of restaurants to the town.

Mr Dolling added: “I’m sure Bourgee looked at the Marine Plaza site opposite and saw how it could be redeveloped in a couple of years’ time, when it decided to open here.

“We seem to have the confidence of investors and TV shows like Jamie Oliver’s pier show has shown Southend off and that has been really, really good.”

SEAFRONT stalwarts have welcomed an influx of high-calibre competition, saying the area will benefit from them.

Jonathan Bacon, who has run Ocean Beach, in Eastern Esplanade, for eight years, said: “It’s good for the town – anything that improves visitors and tourism is a good thing, in my book.

“I would prefer the businesses to be local firms, but for us, having more restaurants open on the seafront is healthy competition for us and it ensures our standards are set high.

“With the type of business that is opening up here, it is becoming more of a place for fine dining, and hopefully we add to that offer.”

David Gammer, owner of the Beach Hut, which opened on Western Esplanade, Westcliff, last year, said: “More businesses opening up is good for the area, and there’s enough business down here for everyone.

“We thought there was a bit of a niche down here, so that’s why we opened, and we’ve been very successful.

“The whole seafront caters for everyone. You’ve got the more fine dining like Toulouse and Bourgee, but you’ve also got the likes of the cafes under the Pier.

There is a good mix.”