Appeal to help Wigan Pier restaurant in Canada rise from the flames

Greg Venables, originally from Billinge, opened The Wigan Pier in Squamish, which is halfway between Vancouver and ski resort Whistler, on September 1, 1994.

The restaurant made a name for itself serving fish and chips, and later meat pies, just like those found in northern England. But the last meals have been served for now, as a huge fire engulfed the restaurant on Monday, February 21, which was a bank holiday called Family Day.

It started on the second floor and the whole building burned down, though fortunately no-one was hurt.

The blaze happened just a day before ownership of the restaurant was due to be transferred from Greg to his manager Amanda Lally, from Ireland, who had spent many hours renovating it with her sister Yvonne Lally.

An online appeal has been launched to raise money for The Wigan Pier to reopen in a new location.

A post on the restaurant’s Facebook page said: “On February 21st 2022, a devastating fire broke out in Tantalus Mall in Squamish, BC. Thankfully no one was hurt, but many of the residents who lived in the building have been displaced and there has been severe damage to many of the businesses inside.

“One of the businesses impacted by the fire is The Wigan Pier Restaurant, a well-known and popular favourite among Squamish locals.

“Until now, this was one of the oldest restaurants in Squamish operating out of Tantalus Mall for 28 years. Unfortunately, the damage to the building’s infrastructure is irreparable and as such, The Wigan Pier will have to find a new home.

“The outpouring of messages of support from the community and beyond has been overwhelming.

“We are hoping that we can raise enough so that we can continue to operate in the Squamish community that we have called home for so long.

“We are setting up this GoFundMe campaign to try to generate much-needed funds to get us back on our feet and starting again in a new location.”

An award-winning chef trained in England and Germany, Greg previously worked at The Beeches in Standish and cooked in elite restaurants and hotels in Europe, Australia, Bermuda and Toronto, before going to Canada in the mid-1990s.

At the time Squamish was an industrial town of loggers, mill and railway workers, which reminded him of Wigan, so he thought residents would like the same things as people in his home town - good homemade food and a cool pint of their favourite brew at prices anyone could afford.

It was a recipe for success, proving popular with locals and tourists alike and soon recognised as one of the best restaurants in British Columbia. The Wigan Pier served fish and chips initially, before Greg added meat pies to the menu, along with a wide variety of British beers and ales.

Greg said: “Wigan is known for its pie shops. I grew up with Lanky (Lancashire) pies just as I did with fish and chips. Both are so important in northern England and I ensure I use the same ingredients my grandmother did. No fillers, nothing artificial, just high-quality.”

Donate to the appeal here

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