8p per head at trial food kitchen

Plans to establish a communal food kitchen in Stirling took a step forward 100 years ago this week.

The Government, anxious about food shortages caused by the war, had proposed starting centres were people could obtain cheap, nutritious meals.

Stirling’s food control committee and town council had been discussing the matter for some time.

Officials reported that a communal kitchen could be located in a Baker Street shop, which was available free of charge courtesy of the owners, Messrs Cullens.

It was, however, decided to first trial the idea for a month by providing cheap meals from the BWTA Rooms in Corn Exchange Road, Stirling.

Lunches comprising soup plus meat and potatoes was to be made available at eight pence per head, and takeaway soup would be on offer at one and a half pence a pint.

Councillors agreed to the trial but decided to delay a decision on whether to press ahead with setting up the communal kitchen in Baker Street – at a cost of between £100 and £120 – until it was ascertained whether there was a need.

A Councillor Moores thought there were sufficient restaurants in Stirling to cater for the “class” to which the facility was aimed. He was against such a development as he thought it would be unfair of the council to subsidise such a kitchen.