{{Short description|Temperance bar in Rawtenstall, Lancashire, England}} {{Use British English|date=December 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

thumb thumb|Mr Fitzpatrick's in 2017

'''Mr Fitzpatrick's''', previously '''Fitzpatrick's Herbal Health''', is a temperance bar in Rawtenstall, Lancashire. It is the oldest surviving temperance bar in the United Kingdom.<ref name="moorlandwalk_theguardian" /><ref name="fitzpatricks_lancashiretelegraph">{{Cite news |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/1250242.Rawtenstall__Fitzpatrick_s_Temperance_Bar/ |title=Rawtenstall: Fitzpatrick's Temperance Bar |author=John Anson |date=10 March 2007 |access-date=25 December 2024 |newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref>

==History== Mr Fitzpatrick's was established in the 1890s{{efn|There are contradictory reports on when it was established: * 1890<ref name="fitzpatricks_lancashiretelegraph" /><ref name="reopening_lancashiretelegraph" /><ref name="soberbar_bbcworklife" /> * 1899<ref name="moorlandwalk_theguardian" /><ref name="moderntwist_lancashiretelegraph" /> }} by Irish immigrants from Dublin<ref name="atlasobscura">{{Cite web |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/temperance-bar |title=The Radical Roots of Britain's Last Temperance Bar |author=Jenny Elliott |date=4 May 2021 |access-date=12 June 2025 |website=Atlas Obscura}}</ref> during the peak of the temperance movement<ref name="soberbar_bbcworklife">{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/worklife/article/20190510-can-you-have-any-fun-at-a-bar-with-no-booze |title=The rise of the sober bar |author=Margaret Eby |date=13 May 2019 |access-date=12 June 2025 |website=BBC Worklife}}</ref> and was formerly operated alongside 39 other branches.<ref name="moorlandwalk_theguardian">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2022/nov/18/a-moorland-walk-to-a-temperance-bar-mr-fitzpatricks-rawtenstall |title=A moorland walk to a temperance bar: Mr Fitzpatrick's, Rawtenstall |author=Chris Moss |date=18 November 2022 |access-date=25 December 2024 |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/inside-britains-last-temperance-bar-first-new-brand-boozer/ |title=Inside Britain's last temperance bar – the first of a new brand of boozer |author=Joe Shute |date=20 February 2021 |access-date=25 December 2024 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> It was owned by the Fitzpatrick family until it was given to Bob and Beryl Waddington in 1982 following Malachi Fitzpatrick's retirement.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0004985/19940518/092/0094 |title=Cheers (perhaps) |date=18 May 1994 |access-date=12 June 2025 |magazine=Manchester Evening News Magazine |pages=30–32 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name="secrets_rossendalefreepress">{{Cite news |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003816/19941111/024/0024 |title=Your secrets are safe with us |date=11 November 1994 |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=Rossendale Free Press |page=24 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003816/19991126/008/0008 |title=Family Notices |date=26 November 1999 |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=Rossendale Free Press |page=8 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The bar was bought by John and Suzanne Spencer in 1994.<ref name="secrets_rossendalefreepress" /> Commonly referred to as Fitzpatrick's,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0004985/19980207/020/0020 |title=Your good health! |author=David Harrison |date=7 February 1998 |access-date=14 June 2025 |work=Manchester Evening News |page=20 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref> it was renamed from Herbal Health to Fitzpatrick's Herbal Health in 1998.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003816/19980529/015/0015 |title=Just the tonic for Malachi |author=Ian Pilkington |date=29 May 1998 |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=Rossendale Free Press |page=15 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003816/19981204/015/0015 |title=Herbal ice cream is just the tonic for your taste buds |date=4 December 1998 |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=Rossendale Free Press |page=15 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

In 2003, sarsaparilla was briefly unavailable at Fitzpatrick's<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2879931.stm |title='Safety' checks on sarsaparilla |date=24 March 2003 |access-date=30 June 2025 |work=BBC News}}</ref> due to the presence of sassafras, an ingredient traditionally present in the drink and a potential carcinogen. It was subsequently reintroduced with a modified formulation.<ref name="fitzpatricks_lancashiretelegraph" />

On 15 July 2007, Fitzpatrick's was featured in ''How We Built Britain'', a documentary about British architecture and social history.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.rossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/local-news/history-shows-visit-temperance-bar-1709085 |title=History show's visit to temperance bar |date=20 July 2007 |access-date=30 June 2025 |newspaper=Rossendale Free Press}}</ref>

It briefly closed between January and March 2016.<ref name="reopening_lancashiretelegraph">{{Cite news |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/14383480.pictures-joy-east-lancashire-uks-remaining-temperance-bar-re-opens/ |title=In Pictures: Joy in East Lancashire as the UK's only remaining temperance bar re-opens |author=Stephanie Brawn |date=25 March 2016 |access-date=10 June 2025 |newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref> Following a refurbishment, for which the bar was closed between July and August of that year, it started selling cake and milkshakes and incorporating their existing drinks into the recipes.<ref name="moderntwist_lancashiretelegraph">{{Cite news |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/14680664.temperance-bar-given-modern-twist/ |title=Temperance Bar given modern twist |author=Francesca Winrow |date=13 August 2016 |access-date=10 June 2025 |newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref>

On 18 November 2021, Mr Fitzpatrick's made an appearance in an episode of ''Celebrity Antiques Road Trip''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0011pqf |title=Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Series 10, Episode 7 |access-date=25 December 2024 |website=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/19733174.rawtenstall-mr-fitzpatricks-temperance-bar-features-bbc-show/ |title=Rawtenstall: Mr Fitzpatrick's temperance bar features on BBC show |author=Sarah McGee |date=22 November 2021 |access-date=25 December 2024 |newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref>

== Products == Drinks produced by Mr Fitzpatrick's include sarsaparilla, dandelion and burdock,<ref name="atlasobscura" /> cream soda and ginger beer,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.lancs.live/whats-on/food-drink-news/tried-lancashire-bar-thats-last-21305637 |title=We tried the Lancashire bar that's the last of its kind in Britain |author=Amy Fenton |date=15 August 2021 |access-date=30 June 2025 |work=Lancs Live}}</ref> along with more exclusive cordials such as blood tonic.<ref name="atlasobscura" />

==See also== *Temperance movement in the United Kingdom

==Notes== {{Notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website}}

Category:1890s establishments in England Category:Temperance movement in the United Kingdom Category:Restaurants in Lancashire