CATERING FOR RACE-GOERS FROM A VAN.
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TE MAJORITY of race meetings start at such an hour that racegoers, especially those who have travelled some distance,. are compelled to have their midday meal on tie course. The charges made by raee-course caterers are not, within the reach of all, and this has been responsible for-the appearance of travelling caterers, who use light motor vehicles to transport foodstuffs to the course, where they take their pitch and subsequently serve customers from the interior of the vehicle. The class of meals provided by the mobile restaurant keeper appeals to a certain section of the racing fraternity, among whom the mobile coffee-stall and the like have proved very popular.
Most of the vehicles in use on racecourses are of the coffee-stall description, but the vehicle illustrated is a little more pretentious. The body was built by T. Blanch, 69, Church Street, London, S.W. 3, and is fitted on a Ford ton chassis. It is built up of oak framing with diagonal matchboarded side panels, and the body pillars are of wide dimensions.
The interior equipment comprises four shelves and two cupboards, the latter being situated on the near-side. The larger of the cupboards is zinc-lined aild is used for accommodating _jellied eels, and upon opening the door of the other a series of wire trays fitted on angle brackets_ is revealed, these trays being used for the accommodation of cold pieces of fried fish. Between the two cupboards an ice-box is fitted, on the top of which butter is stored. The shelf which runs across the top of the cupboards is used as a counter for cut-ting bread. The top shelf is used for stores.
Loose counters 11 ins, wide are made to be fitted almost completely round the vehicle, on which customers can partake
of their meal. There are shaped rests on the front wings to which the detachable counters are bolted. These loose counters, when not in use, fit into the off-side bottom panel on the inside, for which purposeangle brackets are provided to keep them in position. The serving counter is of such a •height from the ground-4 ft. 7 ins.—that it is convenient for serving but renders the operation of eating from it uncomfort
• able. This counter, which is 13 ins. wide, folds into the vertical position.
Meals are served in bowls,. and on plates, made of a composition material, and customers are also provided with a cheap metal spoon.
The partition between the driver's cab and the body interior is hinged at the top and folds up on the underside of the roof of the cab, thus enabling a man to serve from the cab as well as from the interior.
Other details of the body can be gathered from our illustrations.