World-famous Beefy Boys seeks burger expansion in England and into Wales

A booming burger chain is gunning to open its latest branch in Bath as well as planning one in Cardiff. The Beefy Boys - who run three restaurants in Shrewsbury, Hereford, and Cheltenham - have now applied to open a new restaurant at the top of Milsom Street in July.

The burger chain has enjoyed great success, recently placing fourth at the World Food Championships in the US. The business has become so popular they even have merchandise- including mugs, bandanas, DIY boxes, and their own cookbook.

In an application submitted in July, Beefy Boys Holding Ltd have applied for permission to fit out the ground floor, basement and courtyard garden of 24 Milsom Street, Bath to accommodate a new restaurant. The application seeks listed building consent for internal and external works and the installation of replacement signage. Various plans for the restaurant layout, including removing two bars, flooring, and part of the existing light fittings, have also been submitted.

READ MORE: Beefy Boys hit global success at World Food Championships final with their Oklahoma Onion Boy

READ MORE: People who live past 100 years old in 'Blue Zones' follow strict '80% diet rule'

A statement with the application adds: "The proposed works are appropriate to the lawful use of the building and its location within the Primary Shopping Frontage in the City Centre. It has also been demonstrated that the operation of the unit and works to the courtyard will not have an adverse impact on the amenity of neighbouring residents and that the louvred roof to the pergola will provide a measure of acoustic screening for residents around the courtyard."

The public consultation received only two responses- both objections. One person wrote: "The number of [restaurants] in Bath have increased significantly over the years, which has also significantly increased the amount of litter[,] attracting many unwanted animals such as rats and seagulls that [have] seen a dramatic rise in numbers [over] the years in Bath.

"There are a multitude of burger restaurants in Bath already and it does not need another one. This [dramatic] rise in restaurants in Bath over the years demonstrates a worrying lack of imagination in the planning process of BANES council that [diminishes] the character of Bath."

If approved, the new restaurant would have plenty of healthy competition on Bath's thriving Milsom Street: the street has a steakhouse, an Indian restaurant, a pan-Asian restaurant, a chocolate shop, and a brasserie. Bath and North Somerset East Council will determine the fate of the application at a later date.

Founded in 2011 by four friends who enjoyed cooking burgers in their back gardens, the beefy boys quickly rose from amateur cooks to finishing second place at the World Food Championships in Las Vegas in 2014. In 2015, the boys won Best Signature Burger at World's Best Burger in Florida, before defending their title in Alabama in 2016. In 2023, they won both Signature Burger and Burger Chef of the year at the National Burger Awards and have since appeared on BBC One's Saturday Kitchen.

The Beefy Boys now run three restaurants in Hereford, Shrewsbury and Cheltenham, cementing their reputation as a top restaurant chain in the West Midlands - and as well as the new Bath venue, one for Cardiff is also planned.