What kind of memories does this picture of Pete’s Snack Bar and the Co-op in Stockton bring back?
Photograph courtesy of Ged Hutchinson.
Pete’s Snack Bar, Stockton High Street
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
What kind of memories does this picture of Pete’s Snack Bar and the Co-op in Stockton bring back?
Photograph courtesy of Ged Hutchinson.
Picture Stockton Archive 
Enjoyed a few meals and takeaways when working at Stockton station
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Had bacon sandwiches on the way to work every morning 1958. They were gorgeous.
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Mr P Staples, your snack bar was a Stockton Institution, We, meaning three workmen used to go there every day for dinner from Trafalgar Street, Thornaby. Petes served a proper dinner. For 3 years or more we were regulars and when we heard Pete had committed suicide (RIP) it was a sad day for all of us. Unbelievable. I could be wrong and probably am wrong, but did Pete used to own before he opened ‘Pete’s Snack Bar’, the take away tea and sandwich bar that was stuck up the back alley near to, or closely adjoining or before the Blue Post public house passageway, this tea place had the biggest cat I’ve ever seen it weighed 22 lb, a monster. This tea bar was on the left hand side of the High Street, about 50 yards past the Shambles and on market day it was queuing room only to get served, I remember Pete and his business well, he was an well liked asset to Stockton and it’s citizens.
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Yes, penny bun on way back to Starkey Street Friday evenings from Butlins Kids Dance in West Row!
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My mam used to work at Pete’s, I think it was early 1960’s. Friday and Saturday night she would bring home chicken which tasted like no chicken since has tasted like. I stil remember the taste. Oh and after the ABC Saturday morning club and after swimming, we would go there for a hot savoury bun (I think it was called).
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I am 61 yrs old now and living in the Philippines. When I was a youngster I used to holiday every year from my home in Bedford to visit my gran [Gracie Whittingham] who used to work at Petes. She used to come home at night with a big bag of chicken and savoury rolls, lovely grub. I also used to visit the cafe with one of my uncles and always got an extra large serving. I still visit Stockton every year to visit my uncle and aunt. Up until recently you could still make out the Petes signwriting at the top of the building but it is now covered by a banner.
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Hi Bob – I’m from Stockton. Where do you live in the Philippines? My wie is a Filipina and we visit Batangas City once a year. In UK we live in Essex.
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Sorry for the late reply, I have only just seen your post. I live on Mactan Island near to the international airport.
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Hi Bob, I too live in the Philippines up in San Fernando La Union, looks like there’s a few lads from Stockton here. Used to go to Petes after the ABC Minors on a Saturday morning or when we went to Stockton baths. 1d dip bun or 2, they were to die for.
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and another one from Stockton (Eaglescliffe actually) who married Filipina and now living in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro for the last 10 years (first 2 years in Montalban, Rizal)
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Ahhh! The penny dip bun, I remember it well. It was our treat after the baths, and what a treat it was – FANTASTIC!!! Probably as healthy as eating a block of lard but in them days you just burnt it off playing outside, no tele or computer games, just games from your own imagination and that of your pals.
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I was once sat in Petes snack bar early one morning having a bacon buttie when a lady who was on a stool ordered a chicken leg. After a few minutes I could hear crunching, she cleared the plate, bone as well. I used to love the dip buns.
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Remember Wednesday market day, all day drinking. Pubs would close for, I think, one hour so we would go to Petes snack bar for pie peas and chips then ready for the evening session. If I remember rightly we would be bladdered by 8pm then back to Billingham on the bus, sobered up a bit and then onto the Billy Arms for the rest of the night – great days, young daft and no ties, bliss.
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My gran Margaret Worsnop worked in Petes Snack Bar. I remember her telling me Mr Staples was found by staff one morning, hanging from a beam upstairs in the shop.
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I remember a Staples who committed suicide in the shop on the High Street opposite Bishopton Lane. The cleaner found him. I was on duty in the Police Office on that day. 1971-72ish.
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Remembering Staples bucher in Dovecote street opposite the Hipperdrome. I wentto Mill Lane School and we had cookery lessons in a building in Little Regent Street, I was sent to Staples to buy pigs hearts for us girls to stuff and cook in our lesson, they tasted lovely but not what I would eat today.
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Ged that is correct Peter Staples did committ suicide.
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Re Ged Hutchinson’s comments about Pete Staples being a butcher so was his brother Dougie who had a very succesfull butchers in Dovecot St, opposite the Hippodrome.
He always wore a straw boater and oozed charm and good manners.
Tragically he comitted suicide and if my memory hasn’t failed me so did his brother Pete. Maybe someone can confirm this.
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I remember as a kid going into Pete”s and having mushy peas & chips with a bottle of Vimto served to me by my gran Lily Broderick who worked there. Food has never tasted as good since!
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I too remember the penny dip buns – its right that they were out of this world. So too were the pie, peas and chips. Am I not right in saying that one of the staples committed suicide in this shop?
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A dip bun is simply a bun dipped in the fat and gravy used to cook the sausages etc, but to a young lad coming out of the baths it was a slice of pure heaven, and a temptress to make young lads walk miles home to norton or wherever, they were simply fantastic and I can still taste them now 55 years on.
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What is a dip bun? That is a new one to me…
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PETES SNACKBAR – YES THE HOT SAVOURY BUNS WHERE DELICIOUS, I HAD NOT HAD ONE FOR YEARS, AND I CALLED INTO A CAFE NEAR THE TRANSPORTER BRIDGE ONE AFTERNOON TO BUY A SANDWICH FOR MY DINNER, AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE THEY DID SAVOURY BUNS, JUST LIKE THE ONES YOU BOUGHT FROM PETES SNACK BAR, I”M SURE THE CAFE IS STILL SERVING THEM NOW! I CAN ALSO REMEMBER GOING INTO PETES ONE MORNING IN THE SIXTIES AND “THE SHADOWS” WERE IN HAVING BREAKFAST, THEY WERE APPEARING AT THE GLOBE, ITS THE SAME TIME THAT “THE SHADOWS” WROTE “STARS FELL ON STOCKTON”.
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I remember Petes dip buns, me and my 2 brothers would get the no 8 bus from Roseworth to the town and then to Stockton baths. After the baths I would say to Neal and Barry “whats it to be, a couple of dip buns each and walk home to Roseworth or use the money for our bus fare home?” The dip buns always won.
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kevin mc gowan i remember petes snack bar and his hot savoury sandwiches when i left school i worked for his brother duggie staples in dovecot street my mother used to be nanny to the three brothers when they were young and she had to call them master and then their name
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i remember my aunt sarah burns working at petes snack bar the butties were second to none
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Dip buns must have been a little before my time, but in the early 70s I was very fond of Pete”s “hot savoury sandwiches” which was just sage and onion stuffing in a roll.
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I have a memory of my Nan – Ethel Ferguson “Fergy” peeling onions in a back room at Pete”s snack bar.
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My dad used to rave about the dipped buns at Petes ! He would always tell us stories about life in 1960″s stockton and life sounded like more fun then.
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I can remember Pete”s snack bar with its green covered stools. I can remember the dip bun nothing else could ever match it
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I also remember the famous 1d dip bun, straight from the baths to Pete”s for a 1d dip! Probably be told that it was very unhealthy these days, but far better than your burgers of today!
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I remember we used to keep our dinner money from school(5 Bob) and could get a bowl of soup and a bun for a shilling so could eat all week (we walked from fairfield secondary and back every day)I dont know why as the school meal wasnt really that bad.
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I remember the 1d dip along with the tuppenny savoury also their mince pies chips and gravy for 1/6d. There was a similar cafe in Ramsgate but it couldnt touch Petes.
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Pete`s Snack Bar was owned by Peter Staples who was a Butcher by trade hence the fine choice of meats available in his Snack Bar. I believe his son owned a well known Pub/Restaurant in Bishopton. I remember the “dip bun” with affection and I think Keith was “diddled”. Like Kevin my dip bun cost a penny. It was the best value for money snack I have ever come across. I have often wondered if this treat was only available to kids.
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