BUSINESS ROMANCE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11126, 8 February 1930, Page 9

BUSINESS ROMANCE

KVOLPTIOX OF CHELAT CATCHING- FILM. WHAT LYONS- OWE TO ADA’lillTISIXG. 1 here can he no denying the success of a Jinn,.that caters for 10,000,(>OO people'a., week. Such a linn js J. Lyons anil Co., Ltd., whose familiar white-aud-gold teashops may la.mosb he said to ho as definitely a British institution as the lions of Trafalgar Square. The late Mr Montague Ghu-ksteiu, describing the start of Lyons, said: “It was my experience' at exhibitions that, first brought home to me the dreary and standstill catering methods id that time (ISSL). Supposing you had Loon a stallholder then, unable to spare much time for veur •meals: you had your choice of three ihings—the extortionate and unsatisfactory catering within the exhjibiuon itself, the puhlc-house, or a visit to olio ol those places familiarly known as ‘a good pull-up lor carmen. - It would he hard upon people uho take for granted the ca tering cl" to-day to sit down to a so-called meal m those surroundings.” These, then, were the conditions iliaL Mr Montague. GlmUstein ami his three colleagues. Air. Isidore Chu-ksteiii. Mr Alfred Salmon and Mr (afterwards) Sir Josepli Lyons determined to improve upon when they founded Lyons in 1887 with what success we w3l not say. To comment on the obvious is unncces-

W'liat we would call our readers 1 attention to. however, is the important: part played liv advertising in '•helping to promote the success of the. business. ’The facts revealed below by the firm’s Advertising and Publicity Manager, Air Ruehauan-Taylor, should convert even the most prejudiced non-advertiser and astonish, even those who line long been aware ,>( the vital part played by advertising in forwarding the .interests of Hiihistrvv

"J.n we sold 10,GUO Swiss rolls ;i week. AVe started .in jidvoi I isi;. '■nmpaign and now wo soil (JO,OUO Swiss rolls a week."’ This interesting tact was revealed to an AdvorI'sino News representative by -Mr. Huchauaii-Taylnr. Publicity Manager ui .1. Lyons and Co.. Ltd., the wehknown caterers, a linn who have always believed in ail veri/ising, and. wliuso faith has been ovidoncod by the large spaces that regularly advertise its service and its products in the newspapers of this country. ■•The origin of the linn is a romantic one/’ said Mr lay lor. Li H 77 four men—Mr Montague Gluckstein. Mr Isidore Cllnckstein. Mr .V. Salmon. and Air (afterwards Sjr) Joseph .Lyons—met at Liverpool and discussed the possibilities of starting a catering Inisines on popular lines. The outcome of the'.r talk mis a brief agreement, jotted down, on a single sheet of note-paper!

‘•The newly constituted firm or four, taking the name ul A. Ljons, started work hy securing the catering contract fur the Newcastle; Juhile,T Exhibition of ISS7. An important innovation on this occasion tea,-, their engagement of a orchestra at tlie then unprecedented salary of ctjp a week. Tim scheme proved amazingly popular. and has been consistently developed by Lyons. Nowadays tin: linn spend Lldd.h'M a year on music and entertainment 10. its customers. L*LllUjtibO CAPITA L. ••The fir - k Lyons' teaslmp—which .still exists—was opened in Septet)il.vr, ]<<)!. at -did, Piccadilly. dwo other teashops were opened that -jcai and a. further dozen in the following year. At this time ,1. Lyons and Co. was converted from a private emtfein to a public limited liability company, with a capital ol .Ci-OcLO. “The new company prospered, deaslmp alter teaslmp was opened both in London and in provincial towns. Croat bakeries and factories were established at Cadby Hall.. London. A vast factory was built at Creenlord in .Middlesex, where tea. coffee, chocolates. cocoa, and confectionery are, now made.

“The Corner House came into existence, and some T 3 years ago Cm lease of the Trocadcro .Music Hall was acquired and the Trocaderu was built.

“No account of the growth of Lyons would he complete without a reference to ‘Nippy.' Ihr ll ' m M ';' directors has always been to glorii> service.’ So, on January 1, IP-W Prions of Lyons' teashops found the old waitress gone, and a new smart, modern ‘Nippy’ in her place. WORKERS’ WELFARE-

‘The welfare of their workers lias aiways been clear to the hearts ol the linn’s directors. Doctors, dentists, manicurists, industrial psychologists and chiropodists are employed to look alter the health ol the employees, while at Sudbury there are sports grounds of 70 acres, where almost every form of athletic pastime is enjoyed* by the 21,000 members of the Lyons’ Snorts Club.

“And so, from its humble formation, first with a. private capital nf £5,000 aucl thou as 11 com '