Lyons Corner House

[Dee Sa]

Does anyone else remember going to these rather grand[ at the time] restaurants ? as a small girl my mother used to take me "up west to town" every couple of months, we would go to Swan & Edgar and C&A [only ones I can remember] in the morning, have lunch at Lyons Corner House in Coventry Street because they had an orchestra that always played Teddy Bears Picnic if there were enough children there and after that we always went to a matinee up in the gods before coming home[ I think my mother was a bit stage struck!] one visit I would pick the show -always an ice skating show at the Stoll Theatre and next visit she would pick a play or a musical and we were always home before my dad came in from work at 6pm.

[grasscarp]

And the ABC places - where we often went for tea. I remember being in one when someone came in to say Prince Andrew had been born.

[Mosaic]

I don't remember them Dee Sa - but your account is fascinating - why not make yourself a memory blog so you can add to your writing and share?

[sandyRoe]

When my old mum and her sister first went to London as teenagers they both got jobs as 'Nippys' in the Lyons Corner House near Hyde Park Corner.

[grasscarp]

and while we are reminiscing I remember coming up to Fenchurch Street in a steam train, with sepia photos, usually of Southend, behind the string luggage rack. Also going on trolley buses!

[Sqad]

Yes fond memories of Lyons.................there was one on the Whitechapel Road opposite the London Hospital and a group of us , small group,would nip over between lectures and have a quick cup of coffee.

I remember when at the counter, the waitress said "It looks like rain" and i replied "Yes and at 3p a cup"
She didn't think it was funny.

Also the smogs of the 1950's......couldn't see a hand in front of you and only the tube trains were unaffected.

[grasscarp]

3d sqad

[grasscarp]

Being driven to school with the windscreen opened up to help see through the fog/smog. And on other occasions sitting in the dickey seat, held on to the car by a small metal folding bar each side. Health and Safety werent invited then!

[Sqad]

grasscarp....LOL.....yes...3d.

[ttfn]

grasscarp - is it wise to mention thrupenny bits in front of Sqad?

[grasscarp]

ttfn I was thinking about that but didnt want to lower the tone of Dee Sa's thread. It was all so wholesome until now.

[ttfn]

Mea culpa

[Prudie]

Think I might have been taken when very young but my childhood memory is Fortes. Don't know if they were just local to me but there were 2 or 3 in Bournemouth. Standard place to go for coffee or tea.

[ttfn]

Morning, Prudie. Used to go to the Florentine one in Exeter Road for my lunch when I first started work.

[Prudie]

Hi ttfn, so was it 3? We went to the one on Westover Road the most but there was also one in the square up towards the old bus station on the same side as Bobbys.

[maggiekay]

I remember Lyons well.On Sunday evenings a group of us teenagers used to go to Oxford Street and go to the Salad Bowl Restaurant. 2/6d and eat as much as you want. We used to try and get a seat near the balcony which overlooked the Viennese Restaurant, where we could see the orchestra, and the "posh people" having their three course meal. I didn't dare tell my Mother that I had spent that amount on a meal!!

[ttfn]

That's the same one I mentioned :) Remember the Westover Road one, but cannot think of a third in town.

[Prudie]

Of course it is :-) Must have been 2 (they're both bars now aren't they?), anyone else have a Fortes or was it just B'mth?

[commoner]

Hi sandy...don't remember the date but our Sheffield Wednesday Supporters club use to have an annual weekend trip to watch a match and we stayed at an hotel near the Hyde Park Lyon's Corner House....it was the Mount Royal Hotel maybe it's still there....might have seen your mum and aunt when we went in to the LCH for coffee and cakes;-)

[maggiekay]

City of London had a Fortes. WQe used to buy cakes there to take into the office on our Birthdays. The walnut gateau and japcakes were my favourites.

[grasscarp]

Japcakes. Havent heard those mentioned in years Maggie. My mother's favourite they were.