Burger bar pair bounce back with restaurant

2 hours ago

Elliot DeadyPeterborough

News image — Adam Miller and Amber Higgs's business was previously based in a converted shipping container

Higgsy's A man and a woman, both wearing black hoodies, smiling for a selfie in front of a burger shed. — Adam Miller and Amber Higgs's business was previously based in a converted shipping container

A couple who lost their business after they were told their takeaway burger operation must close for safety reasons are preparing to open their first restaurant.

Higgsy's burger shed opened in a lay-by on the A15 in Yaxley, near Peterborough, in 2022 but closed this year after the local authority refused to renew its licence.

Huntingdonshire District Council said it had "serious health and safety concerns" about the number of vehicles using the rest area on the main road.

Now owners Adam Miller and Amber Higgs have got the keys to their first bricks-and-mortar unit in Peterborough city centre, which they hope to open later this week.

The district council's refusal to renew Higgsy's licence came after Cambridgeshire County Council's highways team deemed the site unsuitable for trade.

"A lot of people probably would have given up but we are genuinely very passionate about what we do," said 46-year-old Miller. "We absolutely love it."

Tom Jackson/BBC A dark brown wooden burger shed with a blue Higgsy's sign on it. To the left of the shed, covered by a roof, is a seating area with two picnic tables. Amber, a woman in a black shirt, is serving customers from inside. Adam is preparing burgers. Three customers are queuing at the serving hatch. — Higgsy's burger shed on the A15

It was not the first setback the pair had faced, having fallen victim to three suspected arson attacks last year.

The entrepreneurs were inspired to start their fast food joint after watching the reality TV show Man v Food, which is often filmed in independent diners.

Do you have a story suggestion for Peterborough? Contact us below.

Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.