Tempers boil over in talks on kitchen’s future

Appeal for help sparks viability debate

Stirling’s ‘communal kitchen’ was facing closure 100 years ago after some councillors felt it was threatening the livelihood of the town’s restaurants.

The kitchen, set up in early 1918 in the British Women’s Temperance Association rooms in the former Corn Exchange Tavern, was run by a committee of ladies and financed by the town council.

It was hoped that at a time of shortages caused by the war, the kitchen would help conserve foodstuffs and fuel and provide nutritious meals for those feeling the pinch.

However, its future came under scrutiny when a deputation from the food economy committee met members of Stirling Town Council to seek further help for the kitchen.

Mrs McNab, Glebe Crescent, Stirling, who was part of the delegation, said during March, 1918, the kitchen had served 5455 servings of soup, meat and pudding. Receipts for that period were £52 17shillings and fivepence, while expenditure was £40 11 shillings and threepence.

She believed the kitchen was “meeting a want in the town” and told councillors most of those who used the kitchen were “working people”.

However, Mrs McNab said it would be impossible to continue the initiative unless they had more space and certain “labour-saving devices” – namely a potato scraper and cleaner, potato steamer, gas cooker and sink – were provided.

Officials said the cost of extending the Corn Exchange premises and providing the appliances would be £145.

Judge Duff believed the deputation had made a good case for further council expenditure on the initiative, and reminded colleagues the Government had underlined the necessity of communal kitchens.

However, Dean of Guild Buchanan moved they look into the proposal more fully before taking a decision.

He was supported by Councillor Moores who said: “This is not a communal kitchen. People are getting supplied there and getting their rations at home. Instead of being a saving, it’s a waste. It is purely a restaurant competing with other restaurants.”

Bailie Barker said they were discussing a “soup kitchen rather than a communal kitchen”.

But Judge Duff said he had visited caterers in the town and they had told him they could not cater for the volume of people being supplied at the communal kitchen.

Despite the judge’s remarks, councillors voted 11-8 to consider further the delegation’s request prior to making a decision.

A clearly angry Judge Duff said he would have nothing more to do with the kitchen – ‘he was finished with it” – and he expected the ladies running the kitchen to be of the same mind.