BREC set to revive beloved 1950s Bunbury eatery with full working kitchen as part of an original production

Bunbury residents will travel back in time this April, with Pat’s Snack Bar once again dishing out burgers after a nearly 30-year hiatus. The Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre will recreate the beloved snack bar as a part of upcoming production This Is Where . . . The production will follow Bunbury-based stories and legends, with the pop-up burger shop paying a faithful homage to the original snack bar which will be flipping burgers made according to the original recipe. Pat’s Snack Bar opened in 1956 under the ownership of Peter and Pat Andrews, with Jim and Doreen Rooney taking over in 1978 and running the business until 1997. In that time, Pat’s served as a landmark of the city’s new nightlife scene, serving as a platform to kick off a night on the town. Pat’s served as an institution for late-night shift workers and a Sunday-morning staple to try to kick a hangover. Mr Rooney said Pat’s was more than just a snack bar. “It was a place for some people to come with troubles. We were pretty good listeners to them,” he said. “They’d stand there until everyone disappeared, and you’d lean over and talk to them. They’d have problems. Doreen is as good a listener as she is talker.” The BREC throwback will open its doors in front of the entertainment centre on Saturday, April 11 from 5pm.