An 'amazing' American diner chain that once called Merseyside home is still loved and missed by customers today.
The Liverpool ECHO recently took a look back at the lost Fatty Arbuckles restaurant chain, named after Hollywood silent film actor and director Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. Founded in 1983 by Pete Shotton, an associate of The Beatles, and business partner Bill Turner, the business opened its first diner in Plymouth.
But it wasn't long before the business expanded to London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester and Liverpool. Boasting a retro Hollywood theme, Fatty Arbuckles was known for serving large portions of American-style food at cheap prices, often on 13-inch plates.
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Specialising in a belly-busting 24oz steak – the so-called Arbuckle Challenge and special ice creams, customers could also enjoy combos, jacket potatoes, burgers, salads and lighter bites and more. Those who completed the restaurant challenge will remember also leaving with a prize T-shirt.
In Liverpool itself, many will remember the chain at Edge Lane which opened in the 1990s. Liverpool ECHO readers have since been sharing their memories of the lost restaurant.
Liam Fabio Flaherty said: "Nowhere has done potato skins like this gaff since." Aaron Gibbs posted: "I enjoyed working there and talking to the customers."
Amy-Louise McMullen said: "Remembered going here for my bday as a kid, was made up because I got a sparkler in my ice cream." Mark Sumner said: "Loved going here, was even better having a school mate work there and giving us discount."
Phil Ratcliffe wrote: "Despite being a skinny I had a Fattys appetite, loved it there." Simon Martin posted: "Loved this chain of restaurants."
Kelly Marie said: "I completed the food challenge, loved it. Vicky Evans wrote: "I used to go there for my birthday every year when I was kid."
Sandra Wharton wrote: "Omg loved this place, I always took my kids here for their birthdays, they made such a fuss of them, my husband did a few of the challengers, the food was always lovely." Vicky Cooper commented: "Loved the burgers."
Steve Clements commented: "Amazing place." Christopher Simpson wrote: "I miss fatty Arbuckles so much they were just the best!, They need to make a comeback!"
William Todd said: "My dad was the first to complete the belly buster." And Ashley Smith said: "Remember celebrating a few birthdays here and the ice creams were delicious."
On May 19, 1994, a Liverpool ECHO advertisement was published to celebrate the opening of Fatty Arbuckles American Diner at Edge Lane, Liverpool. At the time, Fatty Arbuckles and McCain foods were giving readers the opportunity to win an exclusive McCain Mountain Bike.
Six years later, Caroline Storah reviewed the chain in Liverpool. A starter for two included three dips, corn on the cobs, well-fried chicken goujons, crispy cheesy balls with a creamy filling, lots of mushrooms and onion rings.
Caroline said: "But best of the lot were the spare ribs, which were ultra tender inside but lovely and crunchy outside. There was also soft squidgy garlic bread which my son demolished.
"Our eight-year-old chose chicken nuggets for his main meal, from a child's selection, and there were tons of them on his plate which were all polished off. My husband went for the Englishman Abroad burger double — which had egg and bacon on top of two well-cooked burgers. It was a tower of taste and rapidly polished off.
"I went for a white-dish full of macaroni with black olives, red peppers and other vegetables which was one of the few vegetarian options. It was very tasty, and hot, and there was lots of it with plenty of stringy melted cheese. Again it was served with a 10-inch long garlic baguette which was soft and gooey.
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"That all left very little space for puds, but my son polished off a handsome vanilla and chocolate ice cream in a sundae glass. My Florida Pudding was a substantial sponge oozing with orange flavour and sitting in a deep puddle of thick, chocolate sauce."
"Several lagers and two Sunny Delights (one included in the cost of the child's meal) brought our bill to £37.80. We were well full, so heaven knows how anyone rises to the Fatty Arbuckle challenge — a monster three-course meal which they claim only the heartiest can finish off."
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In 2010, the MEN reported how Adrian Lee went from a customer to managing director of the group in the 1980s and over the next decade presided over the roll-out of around 50 Fatty Arbuckles across the UK.
At the time, Adrian said: "We seemed to have the Midas touch, and every site we opened was an instant success. We were the fastest-growing chain of American diners in the UK and had another 30 sites in the pipeline, but when BSE happened we were hit hard overnight.
"Fatty Arbuckles was a phenomenal business. From a handful of restaurants in 1985, we built it into a national chain with 35 franchised sites and 15 that were owned by the company."
The Independent previously reported how the chain grew to more than 30 outlets since the first franchise was opened in 1991, with two-thirds operated by franchisees. It reads: "And expansion is intensifying: the group expects to have 50 restaurants serving "very generous portions of American food at an affordable price" by the end of the year, and has plans for another 30 next year."
But, in April 1996, the nation found itself in the grip of the BSE crisis. It was a mammoth blow to Fatty Arbuckles, which generated 70% of its sales from burgers and years later 'Fatty' was dropped from the name.
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With the business desperate for cash and the banks refusing to lend, the management team turned to venture capitalist Alchemy which bought the company. It was a deal that allowed Peter Shotton to exit the business.
Adrian, who had a 20% stake, stayed on but within a year he was out of a job and the business was eventually liquidated.
The last remaining Arbuckle's was closed in the early noughties and the name was later bought out. Today, an Arbuckles restaurant does exist in Ely.
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