South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 16 May 1942
British Restaurant
Communal Meals for Conisbrough
Conisbrough’s British Restaurant was officially opened on Monday, when members and ex-members of the Urban Council, together with Council officials had lunch with the chairman of the Council, Coun. T. H. Shephard.
Coun. Shephard said how pleased he was to welcome to the function ex-members of the Council. It was appropriate that they should be present, for they were the pioneers who gained urban powers for the district. He hoped full advantage would be taken of the British Restaurant by the public of Conisbrough. The Council had tried to get more food for the people, but had failed. The British Restaurant should be regarded as the next best thing.
Coun. Shephard introduced Miss Swift, a representative of the Ministry of Food, who declared the British Restaurant open and expressed the hope that it would meet with every success. Mr. M. Thirlwall (Surveyor) stressed how important it was for the people of Conisbrough to realise the necessity for the success of the restaurant. Not only should it feed the public as well as possible at present, but it must prove a financial success. The Council had spent over £1,500 in converting the place and it must either be made self-supporting or fall to pieces. The restaurant was a necessity and would prove invaluable in an emergency when communal feeding had to be organised on a large scale. If everyone would do his or her little bit there was no reason why the venture should not be successful. A minimum of 1,500 meals per week had to be served if the restaurant was to pay its way.
The councillors, ex-councillors and officials who had lunch at the British Restaurant on Monday agreed that the three-course meal, which included soup, meat and two vegetables, and a sweet was excellently cooked. The restaurant is not like the majority of British Restaurants, furnished with long tables, but to make it as “uncommunal ” as possible, has mostly small tables to seat four diners. The hall, which will accommodate 84 people, is tastefully decorated in light green and white. The cook-manageress is Mrs. Saville.
The kitchen is fitted with three double ovens, two gas boilers, two coal boilers, an electric potato peeler, an electric mixing machine, two gas heated cupboards, and a gas heated tea making equipment.
The restaurant was opened to the public on Wednesday, when nearly 200 people took advantage of the facilities. The establishment is run in conjunction with a “Cash and Carry Centre” at the Denaby P.M. Chapel, the food being cooked at the British Restaurant and conveyed to this centre in containers.
Both the British Restaurant and the Denaby centre are open daily (except Sunday) from 12 noon to 2.30 p.m. If necessary 600 people could be fed daily.