Classic Cafes | New Piccadilly London W1

New Piccadilly Anniversary Special

New Piccadilly by night

Guardian: June 22 2005: 'Greasy spoon wars' by Chris Hall

There is no greater call to arms during this year's Architecture Week (June 17-26) than that of saving the old-style Italian cafes from the 1950s, often disparaged as greasy spoons or working men's caffs.

Adrian Maddox, author of the definitive book on the subject, Classic Cafes, has compiled a "last chance to see" tour of around 30 of them in London (see www.classiccafes.co.uk for details).

Maddox's concern is with the design and ambience of these cafes, which he finds "bracingly Pinteresque, seedy and despairing".

The pictures in his book are part Edward Hopper, part Martin Parr.

I met Maddox at the New Piccadilly cafe, the "cathedral of cafes", in a side street by Piccadilly Circus.

"Everything here is original, apart from the mirrors," he says. He's soon enthusing about the Thonet chairs, the three shades of Formica and the extremely rare horseshoe menu.

For Maddox, it's a war against the big coffee chains whose "policy of extermination" is forcing these cafes out of business.

He reckons that there are only 500 classic cafes left in the UK. Two London cafes, Pellici's in Bethnal Green and Alfredo's (now S&M) in Islington, have been grade II listed by English Heritage, but most, if not all, will be gone in a few months or years, he claims.

Is listing the answer? Catherine Croft, director of the Twentieth Century Society, says: "A lot of the charm is in the furniture and the menus and what's on the tables. It's popular art, not high architecture. Listing them can only protect the building elements."

In fact, the owner of the New Piccadilly, Lorenzo Marioni, is glad that English Heritage didn't recommend it for listing last September, as this would have diminished his potential for selling it, which he still might have to do.

With his landlord demanding ever higher rent, he's never going to be able to compete with the big chains. "I'd just love to be here at a reasonable rent, serving the local community at a reasonable price," he says.

(The cafe can be seen on BBC1 in the new Richard Curtis film, 'The Girl in the Cafe', with Kelly MacDonald and Bill Nighy.)

"I live and work in Glasgow but travel to London a few times a year. On my last but one journey I found myself ambling around Soho looking in vain for something other than biscotti to eat when I finally stumbled across the New Piccadilly in Denman St. I was genuinely delighted. As I went in I grew a silly fixed grin and it remained in place all the time I was there... spotlessly clean... great service... a lovely meal. I was in heaven. The entire decor, ambience, fittings, fixtures, Formica tables, multi-coloured ribbon curtain at the back... reminded me so much of the fabulous cafes that used to exist in Glasgow: places like the Cafe Del Rio, The Coronation Cafe, Equi's, Coia's and countless others. All gone. Only Capaldi's and the University Cafe, remaining largely unchanged, can compare with the New Piccadilly. I love your site... it is actually important. London needs desperately to keep a hold of these places in a way that Glasgow did not have the foresight to." (Chris Diamond, 14 October 2004)

New Piccadilly Corporation

Britain. Britain. Britain. Best when it's swathed in yellow patterned laminates. Best when it has rows of booths illuminated by red Festival of Britain light fittings. And most definitely best when its joint-greatest cafe is run by the effusively Italianate Lorenzo Marioni.

Now, Marioni Outreach Projects seeks to spread the wisdom of its glorious leader so that nation may speak unto nation in the international argot of Pyrex and Formica.

Motto Importante! Here at last, the brand values that have made Lorenzo Marioni (New Piccadilly Corp) the Donald Trump of Light Refreshment are made fully available to those on the 'downside of advantage'.

Here are some of the maestro's key vision statements:

1) L'occhio del padrone ingrassa il cavallo.
(The eye of the owner makes the horse fat.)
- A business thrives under the eye of its owner.

2) Chi troppo vuole nulla stringe
(One who wants too much holds on to nothing.)
- Grasp all, lose all.

3) Dimmi con chi vai chi ti diro chi sei.
(Tell me who you go with and I'll tell you who you are.)
- A man is known by the company he keeps.

4) L'abito non fa il monaco.
(The habit doesn't make a monk.)
- Clothes don't make the man.

5) Un diavolo caccia l'altro.
(One devil hunts the other.)
- One evil drives away another

6) Non fare il passo piu lungo della gamba.
(Don't make a step longer than your leg.)
- Don't cross your bridges till you come to them.

7) Oggi in figura, domani in sepoltura.
(Today in person, tomorrow in a grave.)
- Here today, gone tomorrow.

8) Non c'è due senza tre
(There are not two without three.)
- It never rains but it pours.

9) Non domandare all'oste se ha buon vino.
(Don't ask the host if he has good wine.)

10) Chi va ai al mulino s'infarina.
(One who goes to the mill gets flour on himself.)
- He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled.

The legendary 1960s New Piccadilly menu