Cranks restaurant
Encyclopedia
Cranks was a chain of English wholefood vegetarian restaurant
s, of which only one now remains at Totnes
, Devon
. It was founded and owned by David and Kay Canter and Daphne Swann, and its flagship restaurant was at Marshall Street in the West End of London
.
, London, in 1961. There were very few vegetarian restaurants in the United Kingdom
at the time, and wholefoods were hard to get. To that extent Cranks was a ground-breaking enterprise. It has been seen as a major factor in the spread of vegetarianism in recent decades.
In the 1950s, David Canter had become persuaded that good health depended on unrefined wholefoods and a vegetarian diet. While he was converting premises in Carnaby Street for the Craft Potters' Association (of which he was a co-founder), a vacant bakery came on to the market nearby and Canter decided to take it. At that time Carnaby Street was, in Canter's words "not swinging, but a street of small shops and cafés."
The Cranks menu at first consisted mainly of salads. David Canter wrote that, "In contrast to the traditional tired lettuce that makes the appetite wilt too, these salads could change the eater's whole view of vegetables. The vivid combinations of ingredients and colours, crisp from cutting and dressing, were teamed with equality fresh wholemeal rolls, savouries and puddings." The restaurant became successful quickly, indicating unmet demand for its original menus.
The style of decor was also new, although owing something to 1950s coffee bars. There were solid natural-coloured oak tables, hand thrown stoneware pottery, heather-brown quarry tiles, woven basket lampshades and hand-woven seat covers.
Cranks moved to larger premises in Marshall Street in 1967. In the next decade they opened branches at Dartmouth
, Totnes, Guildford
, Dartington
, Heals furniture store in Tottenham Court Road
, and the Peter Robinson
department store in Oxford Street
. A sole franchise
, the Cranks Grønne Buffet, was opened in Copenhagen
.
David Canter died in 1981, and later that year Kay Canter and Daphne Swann sold Cranks to
Guinness
. Opening more branches under a new business plan, the business encountered financial difficulties, attributed by some to a dated image. It was then bought and sold several times, and in the 1990s was rebranded, bringing it in line with contemporary sandwich bars. In 1998 it was bought by Capricorn International, who invested £1.5m in the London branches, but continuing losses forced them to close the restaurants. The brand was then sold to Nando's Grocery Ltd. Kay Canter died in April 2007.
The current owners have now agreed a sandwich distribution deal with Holland and Barrett in selected stores in London, and a frozen ready meal deal with Waitrose
.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, of which only one now remains at Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. It was founded and owned by David and Kay Canter and Daphne Swann, and its flagship restaurant was at Marshall Street in the West End of London
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
.
History
The first Cranks opened in Carnaby StreetCarnaby Street
Carnaby Street is a pedestrianised shopping street in London, United Kingdom, located in the Soho district, near Oxford Street and Regent Street. It is home to numerous fashion and lifestyle retailers, including a large number of independent fashion boutiques...
, London, in 1961. There were very few vegetarian restaurants in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at the time, and wholefoods were hard to get. To that extent Cranks was a ground-breaking enterprise. It has been seen as a major factor in the spread of vegetarianism in recent decades.
In the 1950s, David Canter had become persuaded that good health depended on unrefined wholefoods and a vegetarian diet. While he was converting premises in Carnaby Street for the Craft Potters' Association (of which he was a co-founder), a vacant bakery came on to the market nearby and Canter decided to take it. At that time Carnaby Street was, in Canter's words "not swinging, but a street of small shops and cafés."
The Cranks menu at first consisted mainly of salads. David Canter wrote that, "In contrast to the traditional tired lettuce that makes the appetite wilt too, these salads could change the eater's whole view of vegetables. The vivid combinations of ingredients and colours, crisp from cutting and dressing, were teamed with equality fresh wholemeal rolls, savouries and puddings." The restaurant became successful quickly, indicating unmet demand for its original menus.
The style of decor was also new, although owing something to 1950s coffee bars. There were solid natural-coloured oak tables, hand thrown stoneware pottery, heather-brown quarry tiles, woven basket lampshades and hand-woven seat covers.
Cranks moved to larger premises in Marshall Street in 1967. In the next decade they opened branches at Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
, Totnes, Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, Dartington
Dartington
Dartington is a village in Devon, England. Its population is 1,917. It is located west of the River Dart, south of Dartington Hall and about two miles from Totnes...
, Heals furniture store in Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road is a major road in central London, United Kingdom, running from St Giles Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile...
, and the Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson may refer to:* Peter Robinson , member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada who oversaw emigration schemes* Peter Robinson , professor at the University of Cambridge...
department store in Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
. A sole franchise
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
, the Cranks Grønne Buffet, was opened in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
David Canter died in 1981, and later that year Kay Canter and Daphne Swann sold Cranks to
Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
. Opening more branches under a new business plan, the business encountered financial difficulties, attributed by some to a dated image. It was then bought and sold several times, and in the 1990s was rebranded, bringing it in line with contemporary sandwich bars. In 1998 it was bought by Capricorn International, who invested £1.5m in the London branches, but continuing losses forced them to close the restaurants. The brand was then sold to Nando's Grocery Ltd. Kay Canter died in April 2007.
The current owners have now agreed a sandwich distribution deal with Holland and Barrett in selected stores in London, and a frozen ready meal deal with Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
.
Books
- David Canter, Kay Canter, Daphne Swann, The Cranks Recipe Book, Panther, 1982
- Kay Canter and Daphne Swann, Entertaining With Cranks, Grafton Books, 1987
- David Canter, Cranks' Recipe Book, Orion, 1993
- David Canter, Kay Canter, Daphne Swann, Traditional Vegetarian Cooking, Recipes from Europe's Famous Crank's Restaurant, Healing Art Press, 1991