There was an association of retreat owners and once each year
they had a joint meeting at which each in turn acted as host. This
meeting was held during the off-season and was attended by the
proprietors and their staffs for a social get-together. If the weather
permitted a friendly cricket or football match was played and the
opportunity taken of seeing what alterations and improvements the
others had introduced. No doubt there was friendly rivalry and some
competition between them to attract custom.
Retreats fulfilled yet another function. The rooms which, during
the summer daylight hours catered for the forest visitor, proved
equally useful as centres for the local residents for social, intellectual
and other activities. Areas such as High Beach and Theydon Bois,
then with small populations and without village halls found in the
retreats facilities equivalent to or better than those more fortunate
places who had village halls.
The period of depression and unemployment which followed the
cessation of hostilities in 1918 reduced both the number of visitors and
the number of catering establishments but in many cases time itself
had taken its toll. Many of the cottagers in the forest villages were
past undertaking this type of service, some had retired to enjoy the
fruits of their labours. The retreats had diminished in number and
whilst many of the inns and public-houses would still provide teas the
pressure of competition had been reduced and slowly the inns
reverted purely to the drink trade. Nevertheless in the period between
the two World Wars there were still sufficient tea places to cope with
the demand.
In the late 1920's and during the 1930's another aspect of forest
visiting began. The advent of the cheap motor car brought a type of
visitor who would enjoy a short run round the forest roads and lanes
on a fine Saturday or Sunday afternoon or evening during the Spring,
Summer and Autumn months. Cars, however, were not the "all-
weather" type, and whilst the motorist may have made a brief stop for
a 'cuppa' they would usually go home for a meal. So in the early years
of the popular type of car there was little effect on the type and
abundance of catering places.
With the greater availability of the all-weather type of car during
the 1950's and 1960's and the increase in visitors to the forest by this
means of transport some of the refreshment places re-opened to
attract this new trade. Unfortunately the steady increase in prices
soon made the cost of tea for a family party so prohibitive that the
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