I don't ever remember there being a visual reference to him, but just while watching an old cartoon,I was wondering if the chain was named after him. Also never leaving London, or the South East as a nipper, was the chain nationwide ?
I don't ever recall seeing tins of spinach in the UK...... a missed marketing opportunity I would have thought.
New Wimpy Bar, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, 1960. Artist: Michael Walters
New Wimpy Bar, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, 1960. The interior of the new Wimpy Bar in central Barnsley which offered American style fast food in the form of their strangely titled 'Pure Beef Hamburgers'. It opened in April 1960.
Wimpy History
I'm pleased to say that the McDonalds in my local high street closed down years ago but the Wimpy is still a flourishing concernApparently, for years, Wimpy's 'killer application' was poached eggs
Along with proper waitingperson service.
Maybe that explains that other restaurant chain I recall, with the weird name............Originally Posted by CaptainWaggett
VIKTOR DONOVAN: BEFORE MCDONALDS
Cool thread!
Hi,
I used to like the Wimpy Bars.
Alan French.
If I remember correctly didn't the boxer Billy Walker, open a small fast food chain called The Hot Potato in the 1960's ?
He also had a club called "The Uppercut"!
Yes, it's the Golden Egg I remember mostly. In fact my local Golden Egg became a Wimpy in the early/mid 1980s.Maybe that explains that other restaurant chain I recall, with the weird name............
VIKTOR DONOVAN: BEFORE MCDONALDS
I think you'll find that it was called "Billy's Baked Potato". I remember the original Wimpy at Lyons Corner House in Coventry Steet where I was a "Saturday boy" opposite in Smart Weston which was a huge menswear chain at that time in 1960. My favourite was a Wimpy, Vanilla Whipsy and if I made any tips from deliveries during the day a "banana pretty" as well. The smell of the cooking and the taste of the wimpy's in those days was quite different from today and Lyons Corner House was just magic.
Cheers Cassidy, the original Wimpy Bar that's impressive. Are the Wimpy Bars that remain, part of a chain or franchise ? Or is it just a name individual businesses use ?
Yes Wadsy in Forest Gate I believe. I'm no Hendrix scholar, but I was once told that Jimi wrote "Purple Haze" in the dressing room of The Uppercut.
Wimpy - The Home of Fresh Cooked, Nutritional MealsCheers Cassidy, the original Wimpy Bar that's impressive. Are the Wimpy Bars that remain, part of a chain or franchise ? Or is it just a name individual businesses use ?
Wimpy (restaurant) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There are 280 outlets using the Wimpy brand in the UK, 278 of which are franchises. 180 full restaurants, of which two are company-owned, the others are Express and Kiosk units or Chicken outlets.
Steve
A great treat when we were children and in holiday in Blackpool, was to go to the Wimpy at the far end of the Golden Mile after visiting the cinema. I specifically remember seeing the film Dr. Who and the Daleks there in 1965 and repairing to the Wimpy thereafter. I'd never seen tomato ketchup served up in big plastic "tomatoes" before.
Cheers Steve Crook, do they still use the old red & white Wimpy logo ?
Yes
Steve
I wonder who designed that logo ? Talk about iconic. Changing gears, If I knew how to do it, I would post it, but I don't - some of you might not be familiar with Ram John Holder's classic 1969 album "Black London Blues", which contains one of the great British Blues songs "Wimpy Bar Blues". Maybe if it's on You Tube someone can put it up ? It's very special indeed.
For me "Wimpy Bar Blues" would be about not having enough money to get a cheeseburger and chips !!!
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