WHAT seemed like a permanent fixture on Sandown Road ­— Lake Fish Bar ­— has closed indefinitely following the sudden death of its owner.

Nigel Brittain died on November 30, aged just 57, after contracting Covid-19.

His shocked family have paid tribute to a "funny, sociable and hard-working" man who was loved by many.

So popular, was Nigel, that there was a full house at the Isle of Wight Crematorium, and a traffic jam was caused in Lake when so many of his friends came to pay their respects ahead of his funeral.

"We were giggling, and said he would have loved that," said his wife, Tina.

"They all came out to see him off, which was nice."

Nigel was carried into the crematorium by his army friends, his son-in-law, Andy Thompson, and his best friend, Greg Hayden.

Isle of Wight County Press: Nigel Brittain with his wife, Tina, and daughters, Holly and Chelsie.Nigel Brittain with his wife, Tina, and daughters, Holly and Chelsie.

A wake was held at the Royal British Legion in Shanklin.

A close friend of Nigel's ­— Andy Phillips of the Jolly Fryer ­— was granted permission, along with his wife, Caroline, to park his fish and chip van in the Co-op car park opposite.

Nigel was double-jabbed, and was due to have his booster jab on November 13, but caught Covid just before.

The father-of-two caught Covid on November 7, alongside Tina, one of his daughters and a member of staff.

"He was always very pro-vaccination," said Tina.

"And we were always so careful ­— very Covid-safe everywhere we went ­— because Nigel did have an underlying health condition. He had rheumatoid arthritis.

"A lot of people seem to think it's gone away, and it really hasn't."

Nigel was taken to hospital just over a week after catching Covid.

"All bar one day, he was there for two weeks," said Tina.

"Everybody has been shocked by it. He was only 57, and kept himself fit and healthy.

"He went downhill from day one, really. He just got worse and worse as the days went on.

"Before Covid, he used to go out for a walk every morning, for ten miles. He was quite well known on the seafront for his walking between Sandown and Shanklin.

Born in Kent, Nigel, his wife Tina and their two daughters ­— Holly and Chelsie ­— moved to the Island in June, 2000, to run Lake Fish Bar.

Isle of Wight County Press: Nigel Brittain.Nigel Brittain.

Nigel and Tina celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary this year. The pair met at a working men's club in Kent.

Nigel was a boy soldier at 16 and had just come out of the army. He was in the Queen's Regiment.

"We're undecided on what to do with the business at the moment," said Tina.

"Our daughter, Chelsie, may take it on with her husband. We're just trying to get Christmas and New Year out the way first.

"We're not really doing anything for Christmas ­— we're not bothering to celebrate it this year, with what has happened.

"I won't go in there again to work, myself. I can't bear to be in there without him.

"It goes without saying that I miss him, and I love him."

Nigel's daughter, Holly Brittain, said: "He was a kind, caring, head-strong and hardworking dad and grandad.

"He always did the best he could for me and my girls, and gave us the best memories.

"No matter where I go in life and what I do, I will always miss him."

His youngest daughter, Chelsie Thompson, said: "My dad was the best. He was the heart and soul of our family.

"He was funny, determined, hard working and very annoying, but that made him, him.

"With a little or a lot of his attributes within me, he will live on forever."