The Picardie restaurant in Christchurch Road, Colliers Wood, is shutting up shop after 31 years in business.

Raymonde Athanassiou, born in France, and her Cypriot husband Sotiris - better known as Tony - have served thousands of satisfied customers since 1968.

Mr Athanassiou died five years ago but his wife kept the Picardie going.

"We haven't stopped doing home cooking," said Mrs Athanassiou. "That's why the business was successful."

Things changed as lunch hours shrank.

A sandwich bar started a mere 20 years ago caters for in-a-hurry customers and the two waitresses are long gone. But the decor remains the same.

Mrs Athanassiou emphasised she could not have run the restaurant without her two workers - Betty, who has been at the Picardie for 30 years, and Chris.

"They are the most loyal staff I've ever had," she said.

When the Picardie started, a large cup of tea cost 1½d and for 5s you could get steak and two veg. It opens from 7am to 4pm.

Since her husband died Mrs Athanassiou has been in work at 5am every day. But now she's 63 and ready for a rest.

"I don't know how I'm going to feel when I leave it," she said. After 31 years, that's hardly surprising. Its last day will be Friday, February 26.

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