In this week’s Looking Back, I will look at two restaurants with things in common regarding ownership and my tenuous connections.

Soon after the Weaverham shops were opened on Northwich Road, a fish and chips restaurant opened called The Blue Dolphin.

It became popular and had a dolphin painted on the wall. The owner was George Downes, and my brother Bill was one of the young assistants.

After a while, Bill went into the entertainment business as an agent providing acts for the various venues. He discovered closer to home a band called Kindness who were playing in the Salter pub.

Bill managed them and took them to fame and fortune as Smokie.

In the meantime, in 1967, George Downes invested in the new shopping precinct at Winsford, now known as The Winsford Cross shopping centre.

He opened a restaurant there, and as one of his interests was hunting, he called the restaurant The Huntsman.

It was situated at the end of the pedestrianised area called Queens Parade, across the Civic Hall car park entrance. It was more of a restaurant than the Blue Dolphin, and it became trendy for daytime and evening functions.

Mr Downes obtained the services of a Spanish gentleman who at the time was in a similar position at Llangollen.

The gentleman was Fernando C Molto, and in this country, his services had been found in London and Chester hotels, and he had been in Llangollen for three years.

He remained at the Huntsman as manager, married a Cheshire girl, and his last post was at The Palace Hotel in Buxton.

An interesting little story linking my brother and The Huntsman is that the police at Winsford would be holding an evening function there.

My boss at the time pointed out that my brother was in the business and could he obtain a good act for the night at a reasonable price.

I asked Bill, who agreed; later telling me that he had obtained the services of a comedy duo called Burke and Jerk.

When I told the boss, he was unhappy and saw his credibility and reputation sailing away.

‘It was 1978, and the dreaded night of the function arrived, and Burke and Jerk took to the stage. The boss still wasn’t talking to me.’

It was 1978, and the dreaded night of the function arrived, and Burke and Jerk took to the stage. The boss still wasn’t talking to me.

After a few gags, they sang their song that just happened to be at number one in the charts; it was called Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs.

Burke and Jerk used their stage name but were better known as Brian and Michael.

A smiling and grateful boss came over, congratulated me, and bought me a pint.

When the Huntsman closed, it became an Indian restaurant called The Kesaan and has now been demolished with part of the shopping centre.

As for the Blue Dolphin, it is still open under the name Theo’s and, like its predecessor, provides an excellent service.