Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part 5)
Celebrating the re-opening today, after the holidays, of E. Pellicci, 332 Bethnal Green Rd, it is my delight to publish Part Five of Colin O’Brien‘s Pellicci Portraits recording the regular customers at London’s best-loved family run cafe – in business since 1900 and still going strong. Newcomers are advised to try to memorise these faces, because you may be sat in front of one of them next week, and remember to ask, “Do you you come here often?”
Tommy Peel – “I’ve been coming to Pellicci’s every day since I was a little boy, more than sixty-nine years.”
Melanie Morroll – “I’ve been coming to Pellicci’s regularly for a few years now.”
Sam Way, Supermodel – “I first came to Pellicci’s last January and now I come every week.”
Alison Clare – “I’ve been coming to Pellicci’s once or twice a week for a few years.”
“The Handsome Glaswegian” George Rankin – “I’ve been coming to Pellicci’s for the last fifty-seven years, since I came down frae Glasgow in 1956.”
Sally Knight – “I’m an East Ender and I’ve been coming to Pellicci’s for fifteen years. I come for the fry-ups but I also come for the special benefits.”
Photographer Goswin Schwendinger – “I used to come daily when I first moved here because I knew no-one and this was my family.”
Jenni Johnston – “I am a student of English literature at Queen Mary College and this is my last day at Pelliccis because I’m going back to California tomorrow – but I like it better here!”
Ian Puddick – “I go for training at the Repton Boxing Club each Wednesday and I’ve been coming into Pelliccis with the guys every week for seven months.”
Anna Maybanks – “I’ve been coming regularly for maybe two and a half years. I used to work down the road, but now I am here to visit my friend – which is a good opportunity to come in to Pellicci’s because I miss it so much.”
“BBC Bob” Williams – “My mother brought me into Pellicci’s when I was five and now I’m sixty-five. Nevio used to sit on my lap when he was a little baby, and I remember when Maria first came here from Tuscany.”
Terry Martin – “I came to Pellicci’s for the first time thirty years ago and I’ve been a regular for the past twenty-five years.”
Jill Schweitzer – “My first time at Pelliccis, from San Francisco.”
Brian Kasserer – “I used to come to Pellicci’s quite frequently twenty years ago!”
Fozia Khalig – “I’ve been coming to Pellicci’s once a week since 2007, I’m an addict for Italian food.”
Photographs copyright © Colin O’Brien
You may like to take a look at
Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits ( Part One)
Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Two)
Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Three)
Colin O’Brien’s Pellicci Portraits (Part Four)
and read these other Pellicci stories
Maria Pellicci, The Meatball Queen of Bethnal Green
and see these other Colin O’Brien stories
Colin O’Brien’s Clerkenwell Car Crashes
Colin O’Brien’s Kids on the Street
Travellers’ Children in London Fields
Colin O’Brien’s Brick Lane Market
a hello to BBC Bob from an old mate (Mildmay’s french lass) ;o)
a gust of wind sweeps
in a steamed-up cozyness –
breakfast at Pellicci
sprite
Sigh! We read about Pellicci’s but we were there during the holidays and it was closed. Now we have to come back.