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.

[tonyav]

Bloody hell, you Beatniks / Teddyboys got around didn't you lol.

[ttfn]

There were many of them, Prudie. I met Sir Charles Forte many times. His son Rocco was born in Bournemouth. The Trust House Forte group was worldwide. Sir Charles bought Lyons at Picadilly Circus, so we have not digressed :)

[Prudie]

That's interesting ttfn, now you say Trust House Forte that does ring bells.

[funnygirl]

I remember Lyons too. On a saturday shopping with my mum, when we finished the shopping we would go into Lyons. I remember queueing up and picking out a cake, I just couldn't make up my mind which one to have.

[Laughing-Gravy]

I watched Who do you think you are when it was Nigella Lawson, and the Lyons empire belonged to her family (on her Mother's side if my memory serves me) Just thought I'd share that :o)

[baza]

an early not very nice memory i have was being in a fancy dress competition which i won dressed as a nippy.Not bad you think? I was an eight year old boy.Still mum was pleased as it made the local paper.

[tonyav]

LOL @ baza, got any photo's.

[woofgang]

We used to go the THE Cornerhouse at Marble Arch, to the Brasserie, it was all red and gold with a Gypsy Orchestra. We only went on very special occasions and dad used to buy us all rose corsages from the flower seller nearby (we were 3 sisters and my Mum)
We used to go up there christmas shopping as well, get there very early and have breakfast in the cafe bit. I was allowed to have anything so I used to choose a chocolate eclair and a milkshake for breakfast.

[baza]

the picture was in the Harlow Citizen paper which hopefully is now defunct and all records lost.It was a long time ago.

[tonyav]

You mean, you hope they are defunct lol.

[woofgang]

http://www.ukoldpostc...20The%20Brasserie.JPG

but you need the colour, the violins, the ambaince

[woofgang]

a la recherche de temps perdus
http://www.kzwp.com/lyons/restaurants.htm

[tenrec]

Oh yes, I remember the Marble Arch one. Knickerbocker glories!!!

[woofgang]

banana splits

[tenrec]

<drooling>

[Dee Sa]

thank you for all your replies
Dee