Then and Now: The Rainbow café on St Peter’s Hill, Grantham, was one of the most popular milk bars in town

The Rainbow café on St Peter’s Hill was one of the most popular milk bars in town, and began advertising in the Grantham Journal in 1940s, writes Ruth Crook of Grantham Civic Society.

During WWII in 1941 a severe incident occurred outside the café when two policemen were badly injured. Three brothers from Sleaford, two of whom were soldiers, were outside the Rainbow café causing an affray. They had tried to get into the café, but it was closed.

Two police constables approached the men, who had been drinking, and were promptly attacked. The policemen asked one of the men to accompany them to the police station and each of them held one of his arms.

The man’s brothers asked the policemen to let him go and when they refused, they were attacked. The policemen were hit about the head, kicked in the head and hit with batons, knocking one of them unconscious and breaking his dentures.

The other policeman was kicked in the eyes, nose and mouth. The brothers had previously been in trouble with the police in Sleaford. The brothers were imprisoned, charged with assaulting a policeman and being drunk and disorderly.