Morecambe restaurants and cafes in the 1960s where you could have an evening meal

Peter Wade writes: “To sweeten the pill we took in some of Morecambe’s other seafront Art Deco gems ending with a couple of timeless interiors.

“The first was Brucciani’s and its colourful sundaes, bentwood chairs, panelling and scenes of Italy.

“The second was Hart’s Restaurant, complete with waitresses straight from a Lyons Corner House, silver service and the names of long-gone cafes and eating houses stamped onto teapots and jugs.

“We took careful note of the menu with dishes which could have been served at any time from 1925-1970.

“The only hint of modernity was the presence of Kiwi fruit.

“However, had we gone in search of an evening meal we should have struggled because most of Morecambe’s eateries by then would have been firmly shut.

“That thought prompted me to look back to earlier times.

“Where could you have eaten then aside from your hotel or guest house?”

In the mid 1960s the Winter Gardens restaurant was advertised as being open 7 days a week, 11.45am to 11pm.

The proprietors were Louis Prada & Son and Mr Ottonello of the Strathmore Hotel.

On the Central Promenade was the State Cafe and Restaurant (proprietor A Jevons).

Prospective patrons were invited to ‘Enjoy our excellent meals and an unrivalled view of Morecambe Bay and surrounding countryside.’

On the West End Promenade, the view from Stocks Arcadian Restaurant was again a selling point with ‘windows overlooking our beautiful and picturesque Bay.’

Specimen menus were available from the managing director, Mr P Latham – ‘write now and avoid disappointment.’

Also on the West End Promenade was Ted’s Grill and Restaurant at the corner of Albert Road (now the Clarendon Hotel car park).

Their advert was headed 'Make sure your coach party is a success’ and offered ‘No charge for Coach Driver.’

Stocks Crescent Cafe opposite the Clock Tower offered ‘satisfaction guaranteed’.

The manageress, Mrs SR Hopps could quote for parties of all sizes in the coffee lounge and restaurant.

‘Excellent meals at reasonable prices’ including late suppers during the Illuminations was the boast of the Corner House Restaurant on Northumberland Street under the proprietors M Simpson and TF Higginson.

The Savoy on the Central Promenade advertised ‘good food and good service at moderate prices.’

Some of Morecambe’s cafes and restaurants date back even earlier to the mid-1930s and beyond.

Names include the Cafe Roy, the Carleton Cafe and the Tivoli.

If fish and chips were more to your taste, there was Atkinson’s on Albert Road, Bracchi’s on Nelson Street and Obertelli’s Gordon Fish Saloon on Springfield Street.

*Do you have any memories or pictures of these cafes or restaurants you can share with the Lancaster Guardian?

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