Funeral of man who brought burger bar to Coventry

The funeral of a businessman who brought the burger bar to Coventry and Warwickshire is taking place today.



Fast food pioneer Derek Gorman, who died aged 88 earlier this month, opened the first Wimpy restaurant in Coventry city centre, and later established his own brand of burger bars which spread across the country.

An engineer by trade, he decided to get into the burger business to secure a more comfortable future for his wife and daughter.

Daughter Sherry said: “My father was quite old fashioned in that way.

“He wanted a business my mother and I could look after and thought catering would be the best. He wanted me to go straight into the business after leaving school.”

Mr Gorman, who was born in Eton, near Windsor, moved to Coventry for work reasons when he was in his 20s. He got a job as an engineer and married his wife Gladys in 1953.

Sherry was born the following year and the family emigrated to America in 1955.

They returned to the city in the 1960s and Mr Gorman opened his first Wimpy restaurant in Nuneaton before setting up Coventry’s first in Ironmonger Row.

Coventry’s second Wimpy was opened in Fairfax Street in 1970 and the third in Trinity Street. Then a Wimpy beef hamburger cost 2s (10p) and a Brunchburger grill 4s 6d (22½p).

Keen to set up his own brand of fast food restaurants, Mr Gorman launched the Mr Big chain, earning him the nickname Mr Biggie.


The Mr Big restaurant in Fairfax Street in 1985

Each Wimpy he owned was renamed as he expanded his fast food empire, which comprised of 21 outlets by the time he retired in the 1980s.

His fast food business made Mr Gorman a millionaire and his family enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, attending celebrity parties and living in a luxury apartment in Hillman House in the city centre.

“He believed bigger was better,” Sherry added. “That’s why he named his chain Mr Big and he promised the biggest burgers and the biggest ice cream milkshakes.

“He wanted to bring fast food to the masses and I enjoyed going in after school. They were a fun place to be.”

He fought off stiff competition from other fast food chains such as McDonalds, so much so that none of them had a presence in Coventry until after Mr Gorman retired.

Mr Gorman travelled the world before settling in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, with his wife to enjoy his retirement.

Sherry said: “My father fought tooth and nail against the likes of McDonalds.

“He was a very determined entrepreneur, a strong personality, who was devoted to my mother and I.

“Business was at his heart and he even talked about setting up again before he passed away.”

Mr Gorman died of heart failure in hospital, leaving his daughter Sherry, wife Gladys and two grandchildren.

The funeral takes place in Stevenage today.

His family is keen to contact anyone who knew him, including anyone who worked in the restaurants, especially secretaries Joyce Smith and Shirley Williams and managers Rita Byrne and Kath Robbins.

Anyone who knew Mr Gorman should phone Sherry on 01905 831521 or email mojopicante@btinternet.com