When did McDonalds open in Burnley?

[steve1264b]

Anyone know?

Talking about it in the pub?

[fatboy47]

Guessing 86/7

[martin_p]

6am I think

[elwaclaret]

I think fat boy isn’t far off, but I’d put it slightly earlier by a year - 18 months. I had my first McD’s in Accrington 87-8 but they’d been around a year or so in Burnley town centre. I remember it opening, but I’d have had my mind on a Lancashire torpedo they used to sell in the Market… or a pudding and mustard. Happy days.

[Bosscat]

Macdonalds ... The modern day Public Toilets ... its about all I use em for

[elwaclaret]

Macdonalds ... The modern day Public Toilets ... its about all I use em for

Pretty much what your average Nevadan thinks. They chose Wendies, Burger King and then McDonalds. I only remember that because it took me by surprise (it was 1999 i think) there was a debate between a gaggle of locals we joined in a night out. The barman then confirmed it pretty universally the opinion in Vegas. Odd what you remember

[2 Bee Holed]

Anyone know?

Talking about it in the pub?

Do you often have such interesting conversations in the pub)

[2 Bee Holed]

Do you often have such interesting conversations in the pub.

[AGENT_CLARET]

Guessing 86/7

Miles out, it was 1974

[AGENT_CLARET]

Before it was McDonald's it was a restaurant called The Musketeer

[Ptangyangkipperbang]

It was either 1983 or 84

[AfloatinClaret]

Miles out, it was 1974

I honestly don't know but, if one's 'miles out' I'd guess at it being your 1974 suggestion. I did some work on Manchester's first and that was 82 or 83, I can't believe Burnley had one eight years earlier.

[BabylonClaret]

Was early 80s - probably 82 or 83

[Bosscat]

Anyone know?

Talking about it in the pub?

https://www.answers.com/Q/What_Year_did ... re_England

[No Ney Never]

Destroyed Wimpy

[1882Clarets1882]

Miles out, it was 1974

Definitely not 1974.

Either 82/83 I'd say

[lakedistrictclaret]

I had my first McDonalds on Fifth Avenue in NYC in 1980.
I took one bite and spat it out. I opened it up and found it smothered in mustard, which I hate.
Put me off McDonalds for life. Never had one since.

[steve1264b]

We were actually talking about the wimpey and then discussed mcdonalds opening. I was born 65 but didnt think i was working when it opened!

[Fenwick]

Went for a friend's birthday party there ( it was a thing then, might still be as far as I know) when I was about 8 or 9. It had just opened and it was 1984. And it was **** !

[Croydon Claret]

I remember how old I was when I first went in, (sad I know) which makes it 1984

[pureclaret]

first on in uk 1974 woolwich

[Commy]

About McDonald's Princess Way Burnley.

Since 1974, McDonald's has been dedicated to serving quality food and quick service, at an affordable price for our customers. Visit McDonald's Princess Way Burnley and choose from a menu of favourites, including McCafé® coffee, tasty breakfasts, delicious burgers like our Quarter Pounder®* with Cheese, McPlant, and more!

[HollandsPies]

About '82 or '83.

[wilks_bfc]

About McDonald's Princess Way Burnley.

Since 1974, McDonald's has been dedicated to serving quality food and quick service, at an affordable price for our customers. Visit McDonald's Princess Way Burnley and choose from a menu of favourites, including McCafé® coffee, tasty breakfasts, delicious burgers like our Quarter Pounder®* with Cheese, McPlant, and more!

Well that’s definitely not right
Princess Way only opened a few years ago, after the college relocated.

I think that bio relates to McDonalds in general not specifically that location

[Claretitus]

Defo ‘82 or ‘83. 1974? Give your head a wobble.

[Bosscat]

Tbf does anyone really care

I wish this WC was over then we could get back to arguing over how sh!t Barnes was until he stuck The Keeper in the B'stards net etc etc

[BedlingtonTerrier]

I thought about 82-84 ish. I remember doing the birthday party thing too. They gave you a tour of the kitchens and one of the lucky party got to walk into the giant freezer. Seem to remember them 'jokingly' pretend to lock them in. Ahhh the good old days!

[Bop]

Each restaurant had a number on opening. For instance, Market Street in Manchester was number 100 which opened in 1984. This was the flagship at the time. Close to this time was 103 - Bury. And 107 - Burnley. I think Rochdale was about 104. Predominantly only town centre located at those times I think it was Fallowfield that was the first drive thru we opened. So my educated guess would be 1985. Although I didn’t work there till 1987. I think there’s a few of my peers on here who may be able to give you the exact date.

[chipbutty]

About McDonald's Princess Way Burnley.

Since 1974, McDonald's has been dedicated to serving quality food and quick service, at an affordable price for our customers. Visit McDonald's Princess Way Burnley and choose from a menu of favourites, including McCafé® coffee, tasty breakfasts, delicious burgers like our Quarter Pounder®* with Cheese, McPlant, and more!

I don't think they had The Plant Burger in 1974

[Wile E Coyote]

no idea when it opened, but whenever it was, thousands of local slobs have made sure the littering would become industrial. its a magnet for **** nationwide.

[Oshkoshclaret]

I’m thinking 1984-ish

[claptrappers_union]

I thought about 82-84 ish. I remember doing the birthday party thing too. They gave you a tour of the kitchens and one of the lucky party got to walk into the giant freezer. Seem to remember them 'jokingly' pretend to lock them in. Ahhh the good old days!

Wow, you’ve just unearthed a memory for me there. I remember my best friends birthday party at McDonald’s in the late 80’s - getting ‘locked in’ the walk-in fridge was best part of the day.

Can’t remember if it was in Burnley though… Probably would’ve been as our local Rising Bridge restaurant didn’t open until 1990’s.

[dibraidio]

Definitely before 84. I worked there in 86 and it was clearly well established and nobody spoke about it only being open for a few years. There were clearly quite a few people who'd been working there for a while. It was actually a great place to work as a teenager, it was almost Sean Dychesque in teaching me about team work, food hygene and defrosting forgotten partygoers.

[Bosscat]

Definitely before 84. I worked there in 86 and it was clearly well established and nobody spoke about it only being open for a few years. There were clearly quite a few people who'd been working there for a while. It was actually a great place to work as a teenager, it was almost Sean Dychesque in teaching me about team work, food hygene and defrosting forgotten partygoers.

[gawthorpe_view]

1984.

[mikeS]

It was certainly after 1980 when the building was Enzo's and the Wimpy was across the road.

Screenshot 2022-11-23 at 10.06.41.png (601.15 KiB) Viewed 2018 times

[Lancasterclaret]

Fun fact

Ferry company I worked for shipped across all the McDonalds drive throughs to Ireland (prefabs on the back of trailers, I think from memory six lorry loads per restaurant)

[fidelcastro]

Not sure, but I do know that there are now more foodbanks in the UK than branches of McDonald's.

[AGENT_CLARET]

Defo ‘82 or ‘83. 1974? Give your head a wobble.

https://giphy.com/gifs/ABCTV-gruen-abc- ... w1tw3TxZ4V

[Cirrus_Minor]

Strangley enough I had my wedding reception there when it was Enzo's in 1979.
I remember when it was being converted to McDonalds in the early 1980s it had the big M with graffiti from it saying 'Meat means murder'.

[martin_p]

It was certainly after 1980 when the building was Enzo's and the Wimpy was across the road.
Screenshot 2022-11-23 at 10.06.41.png

How many of those shops are still there 42 years later? It’s a while since I’ve been in Burnley town centre, Electron Records? Althams?

[Claretforever]

I think the McDonald’s opened in/around 1983. No later than 1984.

Slightly off topic I know, but interesting regarding the building and one next door I suppose for some, I have added a couple of pics.

The first pic is 1959 and you can clearly see it’s before the top part was removed from what became the McDonald’s building.

The second picture is of the building when it was a Tesco. To date this image the Palace Hippodrome became a bingo club in 1962, and by the late 1960’s the bingo club had moved to the Empire theatre. The Hip wasn’t demolished until 1973 though.

Tesco underwent a renovation, re-opening in July 1970, and this looks to be after the renovation(?) so it’s probably very early 1970’s(?), though the bingo sign still remains on the Hip. Not sure how long Enzo’s was there but it was after Tesco.

I can’t believe we demolished buildings like that.

[Claretforever]

Enzo’s was mentioned. Here is the building in the late-70’s when it was Enzo’s. The Keirby Hotel became Burnley Crest Motel in mid-1976 I believe. Possibly why this picture was taken?

[ChrisG]

I think the McDonald’s opened in/around 1983. No later than 1984.

Slightly off topic I know, but interesting regarding the building and one next door I suppose for some, I have added a couple of pics.

The first pic is 1959 and you can clearly see it’s before the top part was removed from what became the McDonald’s building.

The second picture is of the building when it was a Tesco. To date this image the Palace Hippodrome became a bingo club in 1962, and by the late 1960’s the bingo club had moved to the Empire theatre. The Hip wasn’t demolished until 1973 though.

Tesco underwent a renovation, re-opening in July 1970, and this looks to be after the renovation(?) so it’s probably very early 1970’s(?), though the bingo sign still remains on the Hip. Not sure how long Enzo’s was there but it was after Tesco.

I can’t believe we demolished buildings like that.

I think the issue with buildings like this, is that whilst they are no doubt aesthetically pleasing from the outside, they simply don't work from an internal point of view for modern day purposes such as shops and offices. They were built in an era pre-electricity in many cases, and so can't handle modern services. In addition to this, they don't offer the flexibility of large open plan shops/commercial premises due to the contemporary construction limitations.

Cocker Sports (mentioned above) was a prime example of this, being located in an old Victorian building. It was like a treasure trove, but hardly accessible.

Notwithstanding this, the external architecture could definitely benefit from a bit more artistic flair, as many provincial town centres are becoming very identikit and losing their unique charms.

[yTib]

i thought it was about 1985 but it could well have been earlier.

i remember wimpy's and having burger and chips on real plates with metal cutlery. seems mental nowadays.

ps. MikeS could you tell me where you got that plan from?

[AGENT_CLARET]

1923

[Claretforever]

I think the issue with buildings like this, is that whilst they are no doubt aesthetically pleasing from the outside, they simply don't work from an internal point of view for modern day purposes such as shops and offices. They were built in an era pre-electricity in many cases, and so can't handle modern services. In addition to this, they don't offer the flexibility of large open plan shops/commercial premises due to the contemporary construction limitations.

Cocker Sports (mentioned above) was a prime example of this, being located in an old Victorian building. It was like a treasure trove, but hardly accessible.

Notwithstanding this, the external architecture could definitely benefit from a bit more artistic flair, as many provincial town centres are becoming very identikit and losing their unique charms.

I agree with that. Although more expensive I imagine, it would have been nicer had they been able to keep the from of the building and rebuilt behind it.

[mikeS]

The 1980 shops map came from Burnley Library. It shows a town centre with all the shops occupied.

[yTib]

The 1980 shops map came from Burnley Library. It shows a town centre with all the shops occupied.

cheers pal. i find that kind of stuff fascinating.

[ChrisG]

I agree with that. Although more expensive I imagine, it would have been nicer had they been able to keep the from of the building and rebuilt behind it.

Retaining the facade would certainly have been a better option in hindsight. What we also need to bear in mind though is that much as many people look at 1960s buildings as brutalist monstrosities, folk in the 60s had a similar view on old soot covered Victorian buildings. The shiny white concrete would have looked very modern and clean in comparison to this, although due to a lack of maintenance and other issues many buildings of this era have not aged well.

I do think that overall Burnley does have a decent proportion of historic buildings for a town of its size.

We do however digress from the original subject, and to chuck my two-penneth in, I'm saying 1986.