THE Bungalow Caf was THE place to go in Southampton if you wanted to impress a new girlfriend, celebrate a special occasion or waltz and foxtrot the afternoon away.

Flanked by Plummers and C&A, The Bungalow Caf at 157, Above Bar stood roughly opposite the former Tyrrell and Green shop and, despite its name, was, back in the 1930s the largest restaurant in Southampton.

"Music and food for every occasion'' was Plummers proud motto and as leader of the city's caf society, the Bungalow featured well known local bands led by Harry Lawrence, Arthur Pickett, Gil Hulme and Sidney Payne.

Even the famous Ivy Benson's Ladies' Band also made an appearance. The regular band was the Brunswick Six which, according to the caf's advertising, was " a wonderfully tuneful band which played the music you wish for, executing each selection with perfect understanding and rhythm.''

Billed as the caf with "the cherry atmosphere'' the Bungalow, that also boasted uniformed page-boys and wine waiters, could be re-arranged as a ballroom as well as a restaurant and also held whist drives and bridge sessions. Basket-weave chairs, marble columns, a soda fountain, the latest electric lighting and air-conditioning fans all added to the exclusive style.

"It was in the heart of the town's activities with a spacious car park opposite the rear entrance in the Marlands, the Bungalow offered unique facilities for motorists, parties, business people and those who appreciate a real restaurant service,'' said an advert in the 1930s.

"It was within two minutes of the Empire and Grand Theatres and less than five minutes from the Hippodrome Palace, the Picture House.''

The BBC regularly broadcast music from the Bungalow through a landline to its Bournemouth studios on Saturday afternoon.

Back in the 1930s customers of the Bungalow Caf paid two shillings (10p) for a four course lunch or 1s 6d (7p) for a tea dance and 4s 6d (22p) for a dinner dance.,

In May 1940 during the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk a large convoy of Hants and Dorset buses full of war-weary Belgian soldiers assembled in the Guildhall car park square. Soldiers on board the buses called out to passers-by to fill up their water bottles. A few months later, on November 30, German bombers brought waves of destruction to the city destroying forever Bungalow Caf but not the memories.