FAMILY and friends will bid a fond farewell to a hugely popular Stourport fish and chip shop owner next week following his sad death.

Louis Costas, who ran Riverside Fish Bar in Bridge Street, passed away in Russell’s Hall Hospital in Dudley - after suffering a brain haemorrhage - on January 28 at the age of 70.

A funeral service will be held at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity and St Luke in Erdington, Birmingham at 11am on Monday, February 15. This will be followed by a burial at Wyre Forest Crematorium and Cemetery at 2pm with a private wake later in the afternoon.

The father-of-four and grandfather of seven took over Riverside Fish Bar when he moved to Stourport with his wife Elly, 35 years ago. He had previously lived in Huddersfield, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham after moving to the UK from his native Cyprus.

His son Andrew said his dad was extremely popular in the town while the family have been inundated with flowers, cards and messages of condolences since his death.

Hundreds of people also took to the ‘We Love Stourport Past and Present’ Facebook page to pay tribute to “The Legend”.

Andrew said: “He was a brilliant man and a true gentleman. Virtually everyone in Stourport knew him and grew up with him. Everyone has a story to tell about him.

“He loved to sit in the window of the shop watching the town go by. People weren’t just customers to him. He knew them and their families and took an interest.

“We are all devastated by his death. He wasn’t well and had been in hospital on dialysis for kidney problems for two weeks but it was still quite sudden.

“But we all feel better knowing just how popular he is and it is beautiful and comforting hearing everyone’s stories about him. He was a family man but also a pillar of the community and he will be missed by everyone.”

Andrew added that he will take over running the award-winning Riverside Fish Bar alongside his family.