A prominent Greenwich figure has sadly passed away from cancer at the age of 71.

Tom O'Connor who owed The Green Pea in Greenwich had lived in the borough for 40 years, and was loved by everyone.

The Green Pea on Trafalgar Road is a small Greenwich restaurant that specialises in quality pub grub.

Alan Wakeling, 54, from New Eltham had been visiting The Green Pea for years.

He told News Shopper: "Tom was such a good character and the food was always excellent.

"You were never given a menu, Tom always knew what to serve, always."

Mr O'Connor, who originally hailed from Sligo in west Ireland, opened the Green Pea in 2007 in a former student bar beside Hardy's pub.

When it all started the restaurant had just three main staff and seated around 40 people.

Alan continued: "He really does deserve a mention after his career and having lived in Greenwich most of his life."

Tom died on September 3 from lung cancer and since then people have flocked to express their devastation.

In 2014, The Green Pea peaked at number seven in the site's capital rankings last week, just one place below the three Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea.

News Shopper spoke to him at the time and he said: "I decided somebody's got to do something about improving the food in Greenwich. I decided to make a stand on doing fresh food and fresh veg."

Simon Short told News Shopper: "Tom was a really great character. His Sunday lunches were legendary. In fact he would always tell you that he'd "been up since 5am peeling potatoes, so they had better be good."

"Tom's sharp sense of humour was what I'll remember most I think. On more than one occasion he would threaten to put me to work washing dishes in the kitchen for being cheeky.

"That's the Tom that most people will have know, but he was also incredibly generous. He sponsored my wife when she ran the London Marathon and donated a huge amount, after we popped in the night before for her pre-run pasta meal. He will be missed."

Tony McAtamney met his wife in Tom’s restaurant nine years ago and they go every year to celebrate.

Tony said: “He was a real character.

“He would shout at you for not eating your vegetable and tell you off if you were being too loud.

“It really was a dining experience like no other, good wholesome irish food.”

The Green Pea has been contacted for a comment.

Tom will be sorely missed across the borough.