Wren House Canteen

Wren House Canteen

Located on the very top floor (note the sloping roof) of Wren House, where space was at a premium, the canteen was an important part of the working environment...
To cater for over 1000 operating & clerical staff was proving difficult in the dated surroundings, and so a six month refurbishment plan was undertaken during 1982/3.

Circa 1982/3 -Wren House Canteen before refurbishment.

Closed for Refurbishment

When the Wren House canteen shut for refurbishment, all of the telephonists (and other staff) had to to use the facilities in Faraday. To the uninitiated, you would expect that the extra travelling time to use a canteen outside of the main building would be considerable.

A manager dispels the myth...

"I eventually showed them that including the Faraday corridors and the lifts it rarely took more than 4 minutes. They were absolutely next door to each other with only a narrow road (Godliman Street) in between. The front door of Wren House was in Carter Lane as was the back door of Faraday. You could walk the whole length of Carter Lane in two minutes. Wren House wasn't big enough to extend right through to Queen Victoria Street as was Faraday."

	The lifts opened straight onto the canteen area. One lift was often out of order. Notice the black and white floor tiles.
	At the till: Space was at a premium. You can see the cramped conditions of the food preparation area and the sloping roof through the doorway on the right.
	Quite a large area, basic and functional; shown here, almost deserted after the main lunch period.
	A Closer Look... A typical 1970s canteen scene... continuing into the 1980s! You can imagine the grease and grime accumulating on the suspended light fittings. Click for a larger image.

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