Time To Bring Back British Restaurants?

[barry1010]

I'm sure many of you will remember these - set up by the government during WWII to provide nutritious, hot, three course meals at fixed very low prices. No ration coupons needed. There were 2160 of them across the UK (there are currently 1367 McDonald's as a comparison). Some were still going in to the 1960s.

Would these help people during the current crisis? Some parents are going to bed hungry, one mother has been hospitalised twice for malnutrition according to the papers; some people can't afford to switch the cooker on. Some elderly people having to choose between heating and eating this winter.

Of course there were no benefits or NHS during WWII and we are not having to contend with rationing or bombing so we should be in a much better position today but could a modern equivalent to the British Restaurant be helpful?

[davebro]

Not really - would cost a lot to set up & probably be little used (cf. Nightingale hospitals).

[Bazile]

Given a freebie meal , I think they would be used

However , how would you ensure the folk turning up , were truly the needed and not just 'taking advantage'?

[naomi24]

Teaching people basic cookery would be better.

[douglas9401]

I'm afraid 'British' wouldn't get past the censors today.

[gulliver1]

There is no such thing as poverty and Hunger in the UK . Naomi says, so it must be true.

[naomi24]

Naomi has never said that, Gulliver. What I have said is no one in this country is starving - and they're not.

[barry1010]

Bazile, it wouldn't be free. Basic nutritious food at a fixed low price.

[Bazile]

ok

[barry1010]

School and college canteens could be opened during evenings, weekends and school holidays to provide the meals.

[youngmafbog]

//Teaching people basic cookery would be better.//

Yes. along with budgeting, contraception and a course on how to look after yourself without expecting the State to do it.

You know, what schools used to teach.

[Canary42]

Tory-inspired Market Forces drove them out of business.

[youngmafbog]

Good God, what drivel Canary.

[jno]

schools used to teach budgeting and contraception? Well before my time, obviously. We did sums and spelling.

[FatticusInch]

youngmafbog
//Teaching people basic cookery would be better.//

/Yes. along with budgeting, contraception and a course on how to look after yourself without expecting the State to do it./

Lol, you mean like Johnson? Contraception isn’t his strong point and state funding of his jollies will stop abruptly, but he’ll get party donors and sycophants to bankroll him beyond parliament no doubt.

As for the OP, must admit I’ve never heard of British Restaurants in all honesty, though I suppose we do have food banks now instead?

[chelle7272]

Never heard of British Restaurants but many charities are already doing this and preparing to do more this coming winter.

[barry1010]

A lot of people don't like accepting charity and sometimes you have to qualify to be able to access schemes such as food banks. The British Restaurants were open to all.

[sandyRoe]

When I was a primary school kid, more than 60 years ago, my parents took me to a very basic cafe in North St, Belfast.

In my line of sight was an old man eating and behind him a large stew pot. When he'd finished his meal the waitress took his plate and scraped what was left on it into the stew pot.

[Vagus]

Barry, I’d never heard of these so just looked it up, how fascinating. And what a good idea at the time.