The restaurant (downstairs?) was quite large, as I remember, but then I was quite small at the time.
It seems a pity to have lost all these outlets. Greggs has shown small shops can still compete with the supermarkets, but they operate on a bigger scale, bringing in stock from bakeries far outside Dundee.
Surviving outlets like Goodfellow & Steven (and F&D round the corner in Whitehall St) don't compete on price.
Re the earlier post, wasn't there another Andrew Kidd at one time? That was the reason for the "G".
Yes, there was a balcony. I played for St James AFC and we had a dance there. The balcony had tables and chairs where you could sit and look down onto the dance floor which was normally the restaurant.
I remember the tea room at the back did seem very big, had it not been a dance hall at some point in the past? I do seem to remember a baclony although could only have been about 6 or 7 when was there.
N & S also had vans that went around schools at dinner time(peh on a roll anybody?). They had a door at the back and you actually climbed into the van and there was a wee counter where you got served. Some kids would hang about in that wee space in winter and you had to squeeze past them to get served, which was great if it was some sixth year pump. Is Smibert no a weird name, how many Smiberts do you know?
When I worked at N&S....1963-65...the downstairs area housed the "fancy" restaurant and kitchens.
The street level tearoom was less posh and had a full balcony above that acted as the snack bar. Food was transported from the kitchens below to the upper levels on a dumb waiter.
On Saturday nights, the street level tearoom was used for dinner dances and the snack bar food dispensing area became the booze bar. A mirrored ball hung from the ceiling to give the "stardust" effect while the dancing was going on.
The shop area consisted of the bakery on the left and the delicatessen on the right as you came in the front door.
It was a busy, vibrant place to work, with probably around a hundred or so people employed on a daily basis plus additional workers brought in on Saturdays.
It was like a wee self contained community in there.....happy memories.
Thanks for the lowdown, Peter. Your description conjures up a clearer picture of the interior and helps those, like me, who have a rather hazy memory of the place.
Spot on Retro, Peter's description does indeed paint a picture of what I remember from my visits in the 70's as a wee boy. I do remember being taken downstairs with my mum & granny and it being quite posh.
The Nicol & Smibert van used to visit our street - in Downfield every day late 60's early 70's - Marion was the driver and I remember the coburg cakes were superb!!
Peter is spot on, I remember sitting on the balcony, near where the serving counter was, with my bridge roll (cheese) and looking down at the posh folk having a waiter-service lunch at tables with cloth tablecloths! The mirrored ball gave it a very stylish appearance (to my 1é year-old eyes. only had lunch downstairs once, as a guest of the mum of a wealthier friend - those were the days!
My father worked for Nicoll & Smibert when we returned home from Malaya Cora 1966/1969 He was a driver on one of their vans and I would go out with him on Saturday’s into the highlands, could be very tricky in the winter with the snow and all ! He would wrap two of N & S pies in foil and perch them on the engine so that they were nice and warm come dinner time. At the end of the day we would return back to the bakery warehouse where we would hand in all the fresh perishable goods which would end up as pig swill, but not before the man in charge would let me take home a load of fresh cream cakes for myself and my siblings....Memories....Fantastic.
Nicoll & Smibert had electric mobile shops that when round Dundee. Before that they had electric vans which were sold to Fitchett Dairy's for milk delivery
Here is a photo of the Nicoll & Smibert shop in the Nethergate, taken sometime in the late 60's.
Fantastic...I loved Nicoll and Smiberts when I was wee. Would love to see some interior shots if anyone has them.
ReplyDeleteThen it became Brumbie Jumbos, with the Radio Tay advert that went:
ReplyDelete"Haven't you got a Brumbie Jumbos burger, madam?"
"Eh, Eh e' i' a'."
Ah the power of advertising, 30 plus years on!
The restaurant (downstairs?) was quite large, as I remember, but then I was quite small at the time.
ReplyDeleteIt seems a pity to have lost all these outlets. Greggs has shown small shops can still compete with the supermarkets, but they operate on a bigger scale, bringing in stock from bakeries far outside Dundee.
Surviving outlets like Goodfellow & Steven (and F&D round the corner in Whitehall St) don't compete on price.
Re the earlier post, wasn't there another Andrew Kidd at one time? That was the reason for the "G".
Could anyone else confirm that there was a balcony which went all the way around above the ground floor level.
ReplyDeleteYes, there was a balcony. I played for St James AFC and we had a dance there. The balcony had tables and chairs where you could sit and look down onto the dance floor which was normally the restaurant.
DeleteI remember the tea room at the back did seem very big, had it not been a dance hall at some point in the past? I do seem to remember a baclony although could only have been about 6 or 7 when was there.
ReplyDeleteN & S also had vans that went around schools at dinner time(peh on a roll anybody?).
ReplyDeleteThey had a door at the back and you actually climbed into the van and there was a wee counter where you got served.
Some kids would hang about in that wee space in winter and you had to squeeze past them to get served, which was great if it was some sixth year pump.
Is Smibert no a weird name, how many Smiberts do you know?
When I worked at N&S....1963-65...the downstairs area housed the "fancy" restaurant and kitchens.
ReplyDeleteThe street level tearoom was less posh and had a full balcony above that acted as the snack bar. Food was transported from the kitchens below to the upper levels on a dumb waiter.
On Saturday nights, the street level tearoom was used for dinner dances and the snack bar food dispensing area became the booze bar. A mirrored ball hung from the ceiling to give the "stardust" effect while the dancing was going on.
The shop area consisted of the bakery on the left and the delicatessen on the right as you came in the front door.
It was a busy, vibrant place to work, with probably around a hundred or so people employed on a daily basis plus additional workers brought in on Saturdays.
It was like a wee self contained community in there.....happy memories.
Thanks for the lowdown, Peter.
ReplyDeleteYour description conjures up a clearer picture of the interior and helps those, like me, who have a rather hazy memory of the place.
Spot on Retro, Peter's description does indeed paint a picture of what I remember from my visits in the 70's as a wee boy. I do remember being taken downstairs with my mum & granny and it being quite posh.
ReplyDeleteI had a Saturday job in Nicoll & Smiberts from age 14 until it closed when I was nearly 16. Memories.
ReplyDeleteKym,what year did it close?
ReplyDeleteWas Bob Watson still in charge of the Deli at the time?
The Nicol & Smibert van used to visit our street - in Downfield every day late 60's early 70's - Marion was the driver and I remember the coburg cakes were superb!!
ReplyDeleteMarion was lovely, she used to stop at the back door of Lawside Academy every lunchtime, her and the Fred's van!
DeletePeter is spot on, I remember sitting on the balcony, near where the serving counter was, with my bridge roll (cheese) and looking down at the posh folk having a waiter-service lunch at tables with cloth tablecloths! The mirrored ball gave it a very stylish appearance (to my 1é year-old eyes. only had lunch downstairs once, as a guest of the mum of a wealthier friend - those were the days!
ReplyDeletewould like to know if any one got more info about the smibert family please
ReplyDeleteYes😀
Deletethe post on the 4th june 2011 am one smibert it was my mum side of the family own it mum was a nicoll
ReplyDeleteto let you know i have set up a facebook on about nicoll and smibert any one can join and to help me to fine out more info would help me
ReplyDeleteI am a Smibert, did you ever get more information
DeleteMy father worked for Nicoll & Smibert when we returned home from Malaya Cora 1966/1969
ReplyDeleteHe was a driver on one of their vans and I would go out with him on Saturday’s into the highlands, could be very tricky in the winter with the snow and all !
He would wrap two of N & S pies in foil and perch them on the engine so that they were nice and warm come dinner time.
At the end of the day we would return back to the bakery warehouse where we would hand in all the fresh perishable goods which would end up as pig swill, but not before the man in charge would let me take home a load of fresh cream cakes for myself and my siblings....Memories....Fantastic.
Nicoll & Smibert had electric mobile shops that when round Dundee. Before that they had electric vans which were sold to Fitchett Dairy's for milk delivery
ReplyDelete