Fears for Wimpy restaurant with ‘hardcore clients’ and diners who journey the UK

Wimpy in Birkenhead has been in Sanjay Chaddah’s family for 30 years – but he’s not sure what the future holds as the area around it faces transformation

The last Wimpy standing in Merseyside draws fans from across the UK and Ireland – but the family running the legendary Birkenhead joint are fretting over its fate as the neighbourhood braces for a makeover.

Sanjay Chaddah’s Wimpy restaurant, in Birkenhead, has been going strong for 30 years. He says visitors trekking from far and wide, even Ireland, just to get a bite of the bona fide Wimpy magic – his TripAdvisor ratings are five-star.

But Mr Chaddah is now left scratching his head over the destiny of his beloved eatery as its Princes Parade spot faces potential redevelopment under Wirral Council’s grand plans to rebuild central Birkenhead.

The council bought the Pyramids and Grange shopping centres for a hefty £10.5 million last year. The iconic House of Fraser building, once a retail jewel in Birkenhead, bit the dust to make way for new developments.

Andrew Moore of Moore Property Consulting, who is supporting Mr Chaddah, said: “We have had protracted lease renewal discussions with them on whether they might offer Mr Chaddah a potential relocation or a new lease in existing premises.”

Both he and Mr Chaddah emphasised their desire to collaborate with the council to find a solution. Mr Chaddah is adamant that he wants the restaurant to remain open, either at its current location or elsewhere in Birkenhead.

If there’s no place for Wimpy in Birkenhead, Mr Chaddah wants to resolve the situation amicably and inform his customers. He stated: “We want a deal on the table where it’s viable for me to stay or where it’s viable for me to go.

“They (Wirral Council) are meant to be working for the public. Well, I’m the public, you’re the public, the customers are the public. We’re serving the public.”

The council, on its part, vows to buddy up with tenants once they’ve got their blueprints sorted, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Wimpy, a British icon of the 1970s, was once a familiar sight on high streets with hundreds of restaurants nationwide. Its beefeater mascot, Mr Wimpy, hosted thousands of children’s parties.

The first Wimpy Bar opened its doors in 1954 and quickly expanded globally, reaching Ireland, France, and South Africa.

Wimpy’s 1970s menu often resurfaces on social media, featuring items like the Shanty Bunch (36p), Delta Grill (36p), and Eggburger (23p), along with desserts such as the Knickerbocker Glory (25p) and the Brown Derby (just 17p).

A small number of Wimpies exist primarily in Greater London, the South East, and Essex, but with branches as far away as Devon and Aberdeenshire.

With the closure of other Wimpies in Bootle, Runcorn, and Salford, the Birkenhead branch now stands as the only Wimpy in the North West.

Mr Chaddah reckons a whopping 60% of his die-hard diners hail from Liverpool. Flashing a grin, he says: “We’ve got ‘hardcore customers’. They come over especially.”

“We’ve got people staying in Liverpool who come over for breakfast and tea, for their evening meal. And there are so many restaurants in Liverpool! Check TripAdvisor. People from all different places will come up. TripAdvisor speaks for itself.”

Jonathan M swung by in October to drop a review titled “Best Burger in Birkenhead”, saying: “After someone mentioned Wimpy in the Off Menu Podcast, I was reminded that I have a Wimpy local to where I work and I hadn’t been here in over 30 years.”

Amalmond from Birkenhead shared this past November: “We went there earlier this month as it was my late dad’s birthday and his favourite place to eat, a real trip down memory lane.”

A spokesperson for Wirral Council said: “Masterplans are documents outlining potential options for the future and are not intended as definitive descriptions of how an area will be developed. They present an indication of how the authority would seek to improve the area and, in this case, make it a more attractive location for shopping, to visit and to live.”

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