Ilse Huber talks about the importance of atmosphere in her 1950s Austrian-themed Blue Danube restaurant in Kings Cross.
The atmosphere was very conducive to pleasant, quiet, romantic atmosphere. Yes, I think, and the music, not too loud and you always had to be there to keep an eye on everything, including the atmosphere. Like, for example, if the music stopped, if the musicians went away for a break, I was there to make sure that I immediately put on the radiogram to have continuous music. That’s very important, to keep an atmosphere even. I remember we had paintings done, murals done, of Austrian countryside with pine trees and snow-capped mountains. And otherwise there was no décor except very beautiful, plush, burgundy coloured curtains and a little dance floor; and it was a soft lighting, and we had soft background music and a three-piece little orchestra. There was one musician who played seven instruments … a Hungarian.
