Burger King, 1997

Stockport

As a young boy, my nana would take me to Burger King.

My nana was an unusual case amongst grandparents — she loved fast food restaurants and was one of the first through the door with my mum and sister back when Merseyway’s branch of McDonald’s opened in the 80’s.

Fast food restaurants hit different back in the day. I recall the solid wood bench seating by the windows that overlooked the neighbouring Sainsbury’s. These were my favourite seats. I’d sit with my chicken nuggets and watch the orange liveried Leyland Atlanteans trundle by.

This was so long ago. The memories are fragmented. I remember paper crowns resting flat on the ledges of the stairs going up. I recall the smell of pepper radiating from my chicken nuggets, the unyielding iron seats bolted to the beige tiled floors, and the dark and hidden away smoking area with Mr. Kipling pie tins acting as makeshift ashtrays.

I remember toys - a chrome neutraliser and a Neeble water pistol, both tie ins for Men in Black. A brown mechanical spider from Wild Wild West, and a figurine of Dracula that sprang up when you opened his coffin.

The Burger King in question, sequestered under the green iron eaves of its parent building, closed back in 2011. The Sainsbury’s it sat across from followed suit about ten years later, and the Leyland Atlanteans are long since retired.

It was nearly thirty years ago. Time moves on.