MEATliquor and Patty & Bun – two of the country’s most prominent ‘dirty burger’ groups – have both shrunk dramatically following multiple closures this week after 15 years of trading.
MEATliquor shuttered branches in Islington, Clapham Junction, Queensway and in Brighton, as well as its pub the Dartford Arms in Forest Hill. Having pulled out of Leeds last year, the group is now reduced to branches in Oxford Circus and East Dulwich, along with sister sports bar BLOODsports in Covent Garden. Patty & Bun has closed its branches in Soho, Marylebone, Liverpool Street and Clapham, leaving just Canary Wharf and Brighton plus concessions at various venues.
Both groups opened their first bricks-and-mortar sites in Marylebone in 2011, and grew rapidly in their early years as diners discovered a taste for their hip and very messy burgers – including MEATliquor’s infamous ‘Dead Hippie’ and P&B favourite ‘Ari Gold’.
MEATliquor founder Scott Collins revealed last week that the group had appointed BPI Asset Advisory to assess its options. He said: “We’re in the same position as a lot of others in the industry and I’m just getting ahead of things before we’re forced to. On top of VAT, rates, beef and energy costs, we’ve now got a new war creating uncertainty and more tube strikes to deal with.“
P&B announced the closures via a social media post, adding: “This isn’t goodbye to Patty & Bun. It’s just the end of this chapter.”
Patty & Bun’s founder Joe Grossman took back control of the business through a new company last year, and has found success in recent times with the launch of the Waterman’s Arms in Barnes and its follow-up The Shaston Arms in Soho.
