Popular Wirral restaurant to close as owners say 'the time is right'
Dave and son Adam Taylor opened Taylor’s Kitchen serving afternoon teas during the pandemic in 2020 and later became The Chuck Wagon in Liscard as a restaurant and takeaway
It has grown into an award winning restaurant and takeaway business, winning Wirral Globe's "Wirral best burger" in 2023, serving American style food and smash burgers, that has become hugely popular over the years and will close its doors for the final time on Saturday, February 28.
The Chuck Wagon in Liscard (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)
Dave, who bought the premises with wife and co-owner Karen, told the Globe: "We're both 65 and we want to travel and enjoy our retirements.
"We've worked hard for many years. We had good jobs before the restaurant and it's our time now to live it, before it's too late."
Before the Covid pandemic, Dave worked for the civil service, Karen was a hair and beauty lecturer and son Adam was working at the Hilton in Liverpool.
Recalling how the restaurant idea came about, Dave explained: "As a family we’ve always been into food. We were chatting one day and Adam said, you know, he'd like to move away from the Hilton.
"We chatted about opening a small restaurant and decided to investigate it a bit more, which took us to taking a small unit on Seaview Road.
"We were going to open a very small style of Six by Nico type event where we would have a very small dining area that Adam could manage in there and we were going to go 'round the world' with the variety of dishes we would make over the 12-month period and work it from that.
"Unfortunately, COVID happened, and everywhere closed so we had a decision to make.
Dave and Karen Taylor with son Adam at The Chuck Wagon in Liscard (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)
"Adam was still able to work in the building and decided to make afternoon teas, breakfast platters and delivering small buffets for people at home and people who were still in work.
"When we opened up after Covid it was Adam's idea to start the American-themed food.
"So we adapted the food to burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken and that type of stuff, and started doing that as a takeaway.
"We got our first takeaway drivers on board and started to do it. It took off completely from there.
"We got really, really busy, because we were the only sort of burger-type restaurants at that particular time.
"We were really, really busy, and people would say, you should do this, you should do this as a sit-down, so we decided to look for somewhere and found this building on Liscard Road".
Such was their belief in the business that Dave and wife Karen bought the building, fitted the premises out downstairs, sold their house and moved upstairs to live above the restaurant.
Dave recalled: "The business used to be called Taylor's Kitchen, so a lot of people will know us as that.
"The takeaway is very successful and the restaurant's very busy as well. We've built up such a following. The guy who placed the first order with us still comes to us now."
"Customers don't just come here for a meal; they're sitting talking to us all night and have a few drinks with us, and so it's become like a very nice family vibe."
Dave and Karen Taylor with son Adam in The Chuck Wagon's kitchen (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)
Recalling events that have taken place at the venue over the years, Dave recalled: "We've had wedding receptions, funeral wakes and baby showers.
"We also been fully book every Christmas Day since we opened. All the places would be gone with in days for two sittings. And then it was down to me and Adam cooking meats at 4am on Christmas morning, it was a great atmosphere..
"We didn't open last year on Christmas Day, because we wanted to have some time with our family. We've got four kids, 10 grandkids so we had a massive family celebration.
"Adam can just put his hand to anything and his food was just absolutely outstanding. And people said, didn't they, it's just the best ever."
Dave and Karen Taylor with son Adam at The Chuck Wagon in Liscard (Image: Craig Manning / Newsquest)
Karen said: "It's going to be tough to say goodbye after a six-year build-up. We've got all the family on board for the last night, everyone's coming to help
"Claire, Adam's other sister, has just been amazing. Has jumped on board and, supported us all the way through with Adam."
Looking ahead to the last night, Dave said: "We're only doing a short service on the last Saturday, because we've got family and staff coming for a celebration so will be open until about 8pm.
"It's been an absolutely wonderful relationship with our customers. It really, really has.
"So it's a big thank you from us, really, for that journey that we've gone on together. It's not just been us saying, this is the food that you will eat."
Praising the support from local suppliers, Dave said: "We buy our meats from Bobby at Beresford's. They've been fantastic at Beresford's. Absolutely fantastic.
"Swiss Chalet in Ellesmere Ports, for example make our bread for us and have also supported us since we opened".
Karen ended: "We always knew that one day we're going to retire and that day's come.
"We're going to miss it, but so happy that we've got such happy, good, positive memories of it. And that's all that matters. It's such a lovely feeling to have, to go away knowing we've achieved something amazing."
