'I'm distraught': Fond tributes pour in to remember Northampton town centre's longest-standing restaurant Buddies USA

Buddies is steeped in nostaligia for people in Northamptonshire. It was the perfect family-friendly restaurant to celebrate your birthday growing up, or even as an adult. It was a rite of passage to take your friends there from different towns and challenge them to a game of Trivial Pursuit with the sticky cards on each table.

There was constant distractions everywhere. It was visually entertaining from the moment you entered the restaurant and was iconic for its huge food menus which unfolded onto the next person's lap, The Simpsons playing on loop overhead, the burgers which were named after popular culture figures and superhero statues peeking over from the top shelves.

It is such a shame for so many of us burger-lovers to see Northampton town centre's longest-serving restaurant in Dychurch Lane shut its doors after 39 years.

Yesterday, Monday (October 5) PBC Business Recovery confirmed to the Chronicle & Echothat the business had ceased trading, citing disagreements with two landlords, and coronavirus bringing trading to a halt.

Buddies USA - which had five restaurants across Northamptonshire as of November 2019 - has not reopened for business since the country went into national lockdown on March 23.

Northampton-based Simpson Catering bought nine Buddies USA restaurants in November 2018, seven within the county and two outside of Northamptonshire.

But a 'catalogue of problems' surfaced shortly after the takeover, which gave the new owners no alternative but to close four of those restaurants, including the ones in Daventry and Acre Lane, Northampton.

Buddies USA’s five remaining restaurants were in Northampton town centre (Dychurch Lane), Grange Park, Sixfields, Rushden and Old Stratford.

Hundreds of Chron readers have commented in their droves to remember the toy trains whizzing around the tracks, napkin drawings, and most of all... their favourite Buddies burger.

On Facebook Nicola said: "Booo! So many teenage Birthday burger memories!"

Andrew Loveland added: "Lovely building. Which a shame. I admit haven't been for a while it was always good when I went. What will take its place I wonder."

Emma Moorcroft said: "Oh what a massive shame! Have been going to Dychurch Lane Buddies for 30 years. We’ve had many a great meal and birthday celebration there."

Mary Tonnison added: "So sad, this used to be a big part of my childhood, we LOVED going to Buddies in town!

Sarah Finlayson said: "It was great back in the late 80’s, “Yankee Starter” and a “Sorry Charlie” burger, always went there for birthdays & leaving do’s when I worked at the council."

David Pierce said: "Had a blind date in there, she became my wife."

Ryan Meakins added: "I would choose to go here every year as a kid for my birthday family meal, always my go to place right upto now being 34 before COVID hit. The original Buddies and such a shame that its never going to re-open its doors!"

Wes Easter said: " Sad news. Still remember their original restaurant with giant steaks and racks of ribs."

Buddies USA has been a fixture around Northamptonshire since the first restaurant opened in 1981, and has established itself as a popular brand around the county over the past 39 years.