Weekend of 1940s nostalgia at Banburyshire pub

The hosts at the Saye and Sele Arms, Broughton take their customers back to wartime Britain when they hold a 1940s weekend to mark Remembrance Day.
Rob Hawkins-Row and Gale Issitt are pictured with the 'ration book' wartime menu for this week's nostalgia restaurant optionsRob Hawkins-Row and Gale Issitt are pictured with the 'ration book' wartime menu for this week's nostalgia restaurant options
Rob Hawkins-Row and Gale Issitt are pictured with the 'ration book' wartime menu for this week's nostalgia restaurant options

Paul Hawkins-Row and Gale Issitt have organised a World War Two-themed weekend complete with reproduction 'ration book' menus.

Guests will be served typical wartime dishes while pianist Geoff Cooper provides background music from the wartime era.

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The food will be washed down by a Spitfire beer as a tribute to the iconic fighter plane of the Second World War.

The menu (which is optional) includes soups, faggots, corned beef hash, spam fritters and chicken and vegetable stew with dumplings. Puddings will be bread and butter pudding, apple crumble and egg-less chocolate sponge with dark chocolate filling. Guests will be able to choose from the wartime menu or the normal a la carte menu on Saturday evening with the choice of traditional roasts for Sunday lunch.

Mr Hawkins-Row said: "We're hoping to have our version of the poppies of the Tower of London too, cascading down the side of the pub. The British Legion has supplied us with 200 large poppies to be displayed in a net down the side of the building.

Saye and Sele quizmaster Brian Talbot, who has been helping to put the authentic touches to the evening, said: "At 9pm on Saturday evening the lights will be switched out for a 'blackout' and there will be a wartime air-raid siren, followed by spotlights after which Geoff will play Vera Lynn's When the Lights Go On Again.

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"Then wartime song-sheets will be given out so guests can sing along to a medley of wartime songs if they wish. At 10.30pm there will be a rendition of Land of Hope and Glory and Vera Lynn again with We'll Meet Again. It will be an evening of real nostalgia that we think people will love."

The pub has arranged for Union Jacks displayed and two restored wartime vehicles will be parked outside the pub adding to the atmosphere.

There will be bucket collections where those who wish may make a donation to Help the Heroes and the Royal British Legion.

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