B.R.F Asks for Better Cafes A CALL to transport café proprietors and
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planners is put forward in the form of "Road Transport Cafés "—a British Road Federation booklet pub.lished at Is. and obtainable from the Federation at 4a, Bloomsbury Square, London, W.C.1.
The publication, it is stated, "does not pretend to be a text book covering the organization and operation of cafés, hut it does hope to stimulate interest on the part. of all 'concerned in the deficiencies which at present exist." Certainly it puts the case convincingly and with an incisiveness which suggests that wide practical research has taken place.
The recommendations are based on the thesis that, whilst wide improvements and new ideas are not possible at the present time of austerity, much can be done in the way of planning, whilst café proprietors themselves could make a real contribution towards improvement, in spite of the hard times.
The first function of a café is, clearly, satisfaction of the inner man. The Federation rightly points out that kitchen equipment and arrangement are all-important. It delves into the details of food suggestions, in the chapter on roadside catering in other countries, and it stresses the importance of making
working conditions good, even for the persons who have to wash up.
The service counter and the place generally, it is recommended, must he. clean and well laid out. The staff must be spick and span, and have clean hands. They must be pleasant and civil.
Dormitory accommodation, if provided, should reach a high standard. and bedding should be comfortable and clean. Washing and toilet facilities are of the utmost importance.
" What of the parking space? " asks the BAT. Is parking organized? is there a watch over vehicles? Are ingress and egress easy after dark? The proprietor should consider each point ihrough the eyes of a stranger to the place.