Beach Street's mix of outlets is already attracting quite a crowd and now an old east end boy is hoping his smoked food will go down equally as well.

Steve, owner of the Smokehouse View, which is a newly opened upper tier bar and restaurant, learnt to smoke fish when he was five years old, and enjoyed passing on the skill before the pandemic struck, and is now ready to start again.

His menu includes London classics like jugged kippers, smoked eel, salt beef sandwiches and a selection of smoked fish and oysters, all cooked in a traditional method.

"My grandfather had smokehouses in, Bow, Ilford and Romford and he taught me, said Steve. "We used to go to pubs and smoke food, and I was doing the same before lockdown.

"I designed a course so people could learn to smoke food in their own kitchens. They were able to cater for their customers, I got the use of a kitchen for nothing and it was all going well, then Covid came along."

With something of an interesting background before getting back into the old family tradition, Steve looked for a suitable venue to start cooking again.

He said: "I called Felixstowe council asking is he could use a kiosk which had been burnt out but it was going to the new tourist info centre, so they said no, and to try Beach Street. I had not been down this part of Felixstowe for years but as soon as I saw what the guys were planning, I was in.

"I met Jonny, who is a lovely man. He told me all the units had gone but there was a new one coming up, which was this one and I said I would have it there and then.

"I have to admit when I came back and saw the empty container I though 'oh no, what have I done?'."

Inevitably there have been challenges starting from scratch. Problems with the kitchen fitting for example were resolved late on by Marigolds of Colchester, who he could not praise highly enough.

For someone who is a cancer sufferer and been through the wringer with the disease, but is currently in remission, it was quite a daunting challenge but he has a pragmatic outlook.

"Life is for living, it is not for sitting indoors and dying," said Steve. "I decided that was it, I was going to open the View Smokehouse and that is why we are here today."

Somewhat camera shy, and nothing to do with wearing a canary yellow shirt on the day Nub News interviewed him, while enjoying a cold beer and the view, Steve was keen a couple of his staff grabbed the limelight.

For him the £250,000 investment is about more than just following his own dream. He said: "It is an investment into here, but it is also an investment in people. I have a good chef, a couple of ex-military, and I have taken on people that perhaps others would not give a chance.

"I would love to be able to start up my courses again, I would be in my element. It is my passion but it has to make money to survive or we will all be gone. "I'm confident being here at Beach Street will help make that happen."

The view for miles across the Felixstowe seafront makes the Smokehouse View an idea spot to enjoy the terrace and relax, so he is not in competition with the plethora of takeaway outlets in Beach Street.

"We have the view and we want people to sit down and enjoy their coffee, drink and smoked food," said Steve before dashing off to deal with an issue in the kitchen where, with lots of controlled smoke but no mirrors, the magic happens.