Spudulike Ltd was a British restaurant chain and franchise specialising in baked potatoes (potatoes being known as "spuds" in colloquial British English) that traded from 1974 to 2024. Spudulike sold baked potatoes with various fillings, other potato-based meals, and side dishes.[1][2]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Casual dining |
| Founded | June 1974 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | London, England |
| Products | Baked potatoes, crushed potato salads, side dishes and desserts |
| Website | www |
Spudulike Ltd was founded in 1974 in Edinburgh.[3][4] The company was acquired by the British School of Motoring (BSM) in 1979,[3] which helped Spudulike to rapidly expand its business as a franchise operation. It later demerged from BSM, and in May 2001, it bought Courts Quality Foods, owner of rival potato brand Fat Jackets.[5] Spudulike had fifty outlets across the United Kingdom in 2001, including twenty Courts franchises.[3]
The company entered into a company voluntary arrangement in July 2019, in an attempt to restructure its debt,[6] then on 1 August filed for administration, with all 37 remaining outlets closed.[7] Potato firm Albert Bartlett acquired a number of Spudulike outlets in September 2019, and reopened them in October 2019 with an updated menu.[8][9] In October 2021, TV chef James Martin worked with Albert Bartlett to launch an updated Spudulike menu.[10] The 'Spudulike by James Martin' stores were closed in 2024 as the company found they could not make them viable.[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ Martin, S.B. (1991). Worldwide Franchise Directory. Gale Research. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-8103-7805-6. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
- ^ Fantozzi, Joanna (28 July 2017). "23 fast food chains from around the world that we wish would come to the United States". Insider. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
- ^ a b c Wootliff, Benjamin (29 May 2001). "Baked potato chain fattens up". The Telegraph. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Story". spudulike.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Spudulike buys Fat Jackets". The Caterer. 30 May 2001. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Spudulike asks landlords for rent cuts in rescue restructuring". The Guardian. 6 July 2019.
- ^ "Spudulike closes all 37 outlets as high street downturn continues". The Guardian. 4 August 2019.
- ^ "Spudulike". Spudulike. Archived from the original on 27 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
We're back, With an upgraded menu & prices you'll love.
- ^ Ball, Jak (7 October 2019). "Spudulike stores reopen two months after administration". PlymouthLive.
- ^ "SpudULike". spudulikebyjamesmartin.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
External links
edit- Official website, archived in May 2019