The Friar Tuck, British Restaurant, Mitcham
Partial / Incomplete Date | c.1943 |
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Area | Mitcham |
Picture Reference | Mit_War_3-10 |
Original Format | Photo |
Notes / History | Detail of the murals painted to decorate one of the 6 British Restaurants or Communal Kitchens set up in Mitcham during World War II. The murals depict the various stories connected with Robin Hood and his Merry Men. The British Restaurants, originally called ‘Community Feeding Centres’, were run on a non-profit basis by the local authority or voluntary agencies. They were set up to combat the restrictions of rationing by providing basic meals at reasonable prices. A full three-course meal could be purchased at the British Restaurant without using up valuable ration coupons. A typical meal would be soup, a main course and a hot pudding. It would cost 4d for a child portion and between 6d to 9d for an adult. The sites of the Mitcham restaurants were: Gladstone Road Mission Hall, St Olave’s Parish Hall, Prince George’s Road, Christchurch Road, Benedict Road and Sherwood Park Road. |