Neptunes, owned by Star Amusements, obtained a new look thanks to street artist Karl Sims, one of the founders of street art festival City Jam.
Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, is shown in the mural and is the source of the shop’s name.
The well-known fish bar on Marine Parade has now added “real character” to the seafront and was revealed just in time for the Easter bank holiday.
Mr Sims said: “People were already stopping all through the day, saying ‘look at that’.
The artist said he loved taking on the project.
“Our passion is taking tired-looking buildings and making them look beautiful,” he added.
“Changing places like this is what we are all about.”
Mr Singer received the new design with open arms and said the appearance is a major improvement to the long-standing fish and chip restaurant.
“The refreshed Neptune’s frontage has instantly lifted that stretch of the seafront, bringing a bright, welcoming focal point just in time for the bank holiday,” he said.
“The new mural adds real character and gives visitors a sense of energy the moment they arrive, and it’s landed just in time for what’s shaping up to be a really busy weekend.”
Sharing the new look on Facebook, Southend Council leader Daniel Cowan said the mural was “incredible” and the detail was “stunning”.
“This is city pride in action,” he said.
Mr Singer is the director at Star Amusements, which was just announced as the new leaseholder taking over the iconic seafront, the Kursaal.
The handover was announced by Mr Cowan on Southend City Day 2026 and has been well received by residents and local businesses, some of whom said it could be the first step in a wider upwards turn in fortunes on the seafront.
Alongside Star Amusements’ other seafront businesses, Mr Singer and CEO John Remblance are on a mission to rejuvenate and breathe fresh air into Southend.
More of Mr Sims’ work can be seen by following him on his Instagram account @ster.upc
This work of art looks amazing and may become their signature in Southend. However, the reviews for the fish and chip shop were not as amazing, and when looking on TripAdvisor, one person said that his wife’s piece of cod looked more like a scorpion, as it was all curled up. The chips were warm, as only one person was cooking and taking orders, and payment was required before the food was served. They said that they certainly wouldn’t be going back there unless there was a massive improvement in the service and quality of the food. Two cod and chips and two drinks were £31.00, not that cheap really.
Another person said that they went to Neptune’s and that it wasn’t a pleasant experience. The service was slow, and their ‘mixed grills’ were kind of poor; there were far better places in Southend to eat, so Neptune’s was best avoided.
A third person said they found so many bones in their fish that they couldn’t eat any more of it. The batter was raw, and they would never go there again.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 