Forum Topic

WHO REMEMBERS THE WIMPY, BROADWAY years ago

Bev Gauntlett ● 4458d19 Comments

ThankyouBye

Bev Gauntlett ● 4435d

Hello Bev, this is Christofis son, to get to the point you have been posting info about my father who sadly passed away nearly 3 years ago on various forums i.e. facebook, Cypriot newsthreads. This is really upsetting our family in particular my mother, who has a heart condition. Just for the record my father has never worked in Wimpy, he was not 24 in 1969, he was 13 years older, he never lived with his brother - Rodis, never had a bedsit in Shepherd's Bush but a studio flat with his family. Where did you get the information about my father's nickname??? You were offered a DNA test but you refused to do it saying that you had no finances to do so. Please can you stop posting information about my father as he can't answer for himself as he is no longer with us.

John Rade ● 4435d

Hi they won't help adopted ppl x

Bev Gauntlett ● 4456d

The Salvation Army Family Tracing Service.http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/makeanapplication

Andy Horridge ● 4457d

Ah Daniels restaurant, I've just remembered going there with my parents when I was tiny. What a wonderful little place to watch the shoppers below!

Jim McCauley ● 4457d

The problem with responding to appeals such as those from Bev is that the mention of anything can run the risk of stirring up false hopes.  That said, does anybody remember the Polish guy who ran Daniels restaurant?  It's quite possible that he's no longer with us, but my memory is that he was with Daniels for a very long time, and, being involved in catering, I wonder if he has any memories of the West Ealing Wimpy?

Andy Horridge ● 4457d

Hi tonyCan you text me if your able to07922 956949X

Bev Gauntlett ● 4457d

Dear Bev, Further to your enquiry for information in relation to your father regretfully we are not in a position to assist you other than the details below. The restaurant concerned would have been operated as a franchise and thus the employee’s details would have been held by the franchisee and not Wimpy. The only information I have is that the restaurant was possibly opened in June of 1964 by S.R.Caterers Ltd and at some point was sold to Prodbrella Ltd however I have no record of the change of hands date or in fact the date the restaurant closed. Since 1968 Wimpy has gone through a number of changes of ownership and as such we do not have any records that would cover the time period that you require other than stated above. It is with regret that I have to inform you that in this instance we cannot assist you further in locating your father. Kind regards Chris Woolfenden Wimpy Restaurants Group Limited, trading as Wimpy UK

Bev Gauntlett ● 4457d

Dear Bev, Further to your enquiry for information in relation to your father regretfully we are not in a position to assist you other than the details below. The restaurant concerned would have been operated as a franchise and thus the employee’s details would have been held by the franchisee and not Wimpy. The only information I have is that the restaurant was possibly opened in June of 1964 by S.R.Caterers Ltd and at some point was sold to Prodbrella Ltd however I have no record of the change of hands date or in fact the date the restaurant closed. Since 1968 Wimpy has gone through a number of changes of ownership and as such we do not have any records that would cover the time period that you require other than stated above. It is with regret that I have to inform you that in this instance we cannot assist you further in locating your father. Kind regards Chris Woolfenden Wimpy Restaurants Group Limited, trading as Wimpy UK

Bev Gauntlett ● 4457d

Dear Bev, Further to your enquiry for information in relation to your father regretfully we are not in a position to assist you other than the details below. The restaurant concerned would have been operated as a franchise and thus the employee’s details would have been held by the franchisee and not Wimpy. The only information I have is that the restaurant was possibly opened in June of 1964 by S.R.Caterers Ltd and at some point was sold to Prodbrella Ltd however I have no record of the change of hands date or in fact the date the restaurant closed. Since 1968 Wimpy has gone through a number of changes of ownership and as such we do not have any records that would cover the time period that you require other than stated above. It is with regret that I have to inform you that in this instance we cannot assist you further in locating your father. Kind regards Chris Woolfenden Wimpy Restaurants Group Limited, trading as Wimpy UK

Bev Gauntlett ● 4457d

Still doesn't help, but here is a link to a picture of the (long gone) West Ealing Wimpy.  http://www.citikey.co.uk/display/wimpy-M3ESDThe site is now 'West London Apartments' estate agents.

Andy Horridge ● 4458d

Doesn't help at all, but the 'Lido junction' Wimpy (156 Uxbridge Road, West Ealing, W13 8SB) was featured in a 1998 episode of the Jonathan Creek tv series (series 2, episode 2) called 'Time Waits For Norman'.  The cafe featured only briefly in that episode, with views of its frontage as well as internal shots (IIRC).

Andy Horridge ● 4458d

Bev, I can absolutely guarantee that your dad and his brother worked in the Wimpy at the Lido junction,I don't think the one at Haven Green was even open in '69(It may just have been). Even if it was it would be a huge coincidence that both should have Cypriot brothers (the right ages) working for them.  The Wimpy francises were,until '73 issued by J Lyons & Co which has since been broken up and I doubt they would have had any employee records,Wimpy staff were employed by the franchisee locally.  I contacted a friend who used to go there with me,and all he could add was that your dad used to get the night bus to Shepherds Bush after work,and that he didn't like the bedsit    he was staying in.Good luck!

Tony Wood ● 4458d

Now, just to confuse issues.There was a Wimpy by the Lido junction but it is on The Broadway, west Ealing W13.The 'other' Wimpy was in Ealing Broadway on Haven Green W5.The former was quieter, not that that matters too much but if you can 'pin down' which one it was it would help.Most were operated as franchises and it might be worthwhile contacting Wimpy to see if they have any records of who worked there. There is an issue in that the Wimpy parent company has changed hands a good few times in recent years.

Nigel Brooks ● 4458d

More widely:    https://www.google.co.uk/#newwindow=0&q=trying+to+find+my+dad

Tony Colliver ● 4458d

Have you tried a service like this one:    http://www.findermonkey.co.uk/

Tony Colliver ● 4458d

Bev - I've watched from afar as you have started numerous threads over the months as you continue the search for your father.You seem absolutely passionate so I wonder - why not dedicate a couple of good solid weekends to coming to the area and walking about talking to older people as they go about their business in the immediate locality?With the arrival of the budget hotel chains in the local area in recent years reasonably priced overnight accommodation is now much easier to find.  Or, if you booked into a local B&B you might even find, if you are lucky, that the proprietor has a wealth of local knowledge to impart.Visiting the area has the advantage that you would be able to talk to older people who might very well be in a better position to help you but who very rarely if ever venture onto the internet.Proprietors of other restaurants (and other long established local shops / pubs etc.) must surely be high on your list of people to speak to as they always seem to know more than the average Joe about who is / was working for who when and where.There are still some old restaurants in the area that are family run but time must be running out to speak to the owners given the years of your interest.One other point - I think it would serve you better if you stuck to one thread on this forum (and any others which you might be posting on) as every time a new message is posted the thread would be bumped to the top of the list and it would allow new readers to gather the back story without you having to explain all over again as well as keep all of the information in one easy to find location.  Having all the information in one place could be important for jogging the memory of that one person who might happen along at random at some unknown point and have something to contribute for you.I wish you luck in your search.

Tony Colliver ● 4458d

HiI don't know the area but I've been told it's not the lido junction one but broadway one..Doesn't mean a thing to me... So which one was the broadway wimpy on? X

Bev Gauntlett ● 4458d

Bev.I think you need to make it clear that you mean the on in West Ealing as there was also one in Ealing Broadway (on Haven Green).I do hope that all your efforts bear fruit.

Nigel Brooks ● 4458d