The Rotherham Bugle

A new restaurant in Barnsley has announced ambitious plans to introduce rudimentary knives, forks and spoons.

For a town so close to the historic capital of world cutlery manufacturer, Sheffield, it is perhaps surprising that the knife fork and spoon have never taken off in the borough. But that may now be all about  to change with news that a restaurant is set to open in the town where it will be possible to sit down at a table with a plate of food and eat it with a knife and fork.

Any visitor to Barnsley will quickly discover that food is traditionally consumed from the burger box, the chip wrapper or the Greggs pasty bag whilst sitting slumped on a sofa, a bird shit splattered bench or even a shopping mall floor.  So the new venture is being viewed with some scepticism locally.

“We know it’s going to be tough, but we’re determined to make a go of it” said Sam Clunge, owner of The Fat Dingle who spearheaded a similar initiative in neighbouring Doncaster. “Some of them will have used a spoon before so we’ll be starting them out with that. Others may have used a knife for skinning roadkill, but the fork is a mystery. Getting them using everything together will be the biggest challenge.”

Sam says that once locals start using cutlery effectively, the next stage will be to remove the spittoons. “It will be a first for any Barnsley food and drink emporium” said a proud but nervous Sam. “We’re breaking new ground here.”