A charity-backed “public diner” is due to open in Dundee, reviving the idea of Britain’s wartime state-supported restaurants that provided affordable, nutritious meals. Supporters say it could offer an alternative to junk food and ready meals, and that successful trials might lead to similar venues elsewhere in the UK.

More than 2,000 British Restaurants operated by 1943 under Winston Churchill’s government, serving low-cost meals during the Second World War. The Dundee venue will have a changing, limited menu without alcohol, fizzy drinks or crisps; proposed dishes include mince and tatties, vegetables and pulses. Prices are expected to be similar to supermarket ready meals, with possible discounts, and the project is funded alongside a Nottingham diner by UK Research and Innovation.