Page 724 - Reading Mercury

Wokingham borough, £127,054; Arborfield and Newlands, £2,657; Barkham £870;
Earley, £5,481; Finchampstead, £10,182; Hurst, £50,487; Remenham, £10,095;
Shinfield, including Spencers Wood with, £5,971, £17,304; Sonning, £55,227;
Swallowfield, £8,925; Twyford and Ruscombe, £26,100; Wargrave, £95,346;
Winnersh, £6,261; Woodley, £21,597; Wokingham Without £1,303.

Fri 18th June
WOKINGHAM BRITISH RESTAURANT OPENED
Every Table Occupied on first day
“I hope that the housewife, who perhaps has one of the most difficult jobs these
days, to carry on, will find that we shall be able to make things a little easier for her
by the service which this Restaurant will supply.” Thus commented the Mayor (Ald.
E.W. Reeves) during his opening remarks before a large crowd at the official opening
of the British Restaurant on Monday afternoon. Tastefully furnished and decorated to
wartime utility pattern the building has accommodation for 180 diners.
Strictly in accordance with the general practice of British Restaurants, every diner
helps themselves, and a large self serving hatch from the kitchen has been provided,
with pay desk attached. The cooking facilities are the latest obtainable, and designed
to effect labour saving to the fullest possible extent.
The preparation and cooking of meals is in the capable hands of Mr. F.W. Allen, the
Chef/ Manager, who has spent 35 years in catering, mostly in hotels in various parts
of the country. With a permanent staff of 6, Mr. Allen informed a representative of the
Times and Weekly News, that he plans to give a different menu every day, of the
most nourishing foods obtainable. Lunches will be served from 12 to 2 p.m. and Teas
from 4— 5.30 p.m. Mr. Allen is fortunate also in having the services of three
members of the W.V.S., who have promised to assist during meal times.
Before formally declaring the Restaurant open, the Mayor expressed the hope that
the people of Wokingham, in whose interest alone, the restaurant had been started,
would give it their full support and thereby derive all the benefits which were their
due, and which the Council were anxious to provide.
After expressing his appreciation of the War Time Meals Dept. of the Ministry of
Food, for its very valuable help and assistance, Mr. Hucking and his staff, the builder
of the premises, for the trouble that he had gone to in making the Restaurant as
attractive as possible with the materials with which he had to work, Messrs.
Brakespears & Fergusons for their generous gift of the land on which to widen the
approach to the Restaurant from the Market Place, the Mayor paid tribute to the Town
Clerk and the Borough Surveyor for their additional work and responsibilities in
connection with the venture.
Mr. Hendry, of the War Time Meals Dept. of the Ministry of Food, who was
present, apologised for the unavoidable absence of Major Gale, the Divisional Food
Officer and congratulated the Wokingham Council, and in particular the British
Restaurant Sub Committee, for their valuable efforts in connection with the venture.
An appeal
Miss Finch, who is in charge of the W.V.S. who are giving their services at the new
British Restaurant, appeals for a few volunteers to relieve the W.V.S. on various days
during the week. All those who may be able to help in this respect, should contact her
at the British Restaurant.

th
Sat 19 June
ACCIDENT DELAYS TRAINS

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