Generations have whiled away lazy afternoons with a cup of Darjeeling staring through its glass frontage, eyeing the never ceasing traffic on one of Calcutta’s fashionable streets.
There is hardly anyone with a Calcutta connect who hasn’t bitten into a rum ball or stood in a queue for a Christmas cake on its premises. Even Satyajit Ray shot two of his Calcutta trilogy films, Jana Aranya and Pratidwandi, here.
That place, Flurys on Park Street, is going to don a heritage plaque presented by Intach, Calcutta chapter, announcing its vintage pedigree.
Established in 1927 by Swiss couple Joseph and Frieda Flury, Flurys at 18 Park Street began as a modest confectionery before evolving into a tearoom favoured by both the British and the affluent Calcuttans.
According to history buffs, one Quinto Cinzio Trinca from Poschiavo, Switzerland, joined the Flury couple to start Flury & Trinca at the same address where Flurys now stands. However, the partnership broke up in 1939 for unknown reasons and Trinca moved diagonally across the street and started Trincas.
Flurys thrived at its original address and exuded an old-world charm with its décor reminiscent of European tea salons, with chandeliers, ornate furnishings andpastel hues. In 1965, the ownership was transferred tothe Apeejay Group, with Jeet Paul buying the business from Joseph Flury.
The tea shop over the decades has become part of Calcutta’s culture and is an enduring institution in the city.
Intach, Calcutta, will give Flurys its heritage plaque on July 19 in recognition of this legacy. “The culinary heritage recognition of Flurys completes the quartet of Heritage Eateries on Park Street. It was the first fashionable tea room on the street. Intach is proud to recognise Flurys’ contribution to the heritage of the city,” said G.M. Kapur of Intach.
Vijay Dewan, managing director of the Park Hotels Group said: “Flurys is India’s iconic bakery and confectionery brand. It has been part of Calcutta’s landscape since its establishment in 1927. It was acquired by the Apeejay Surrendra Group in 1965 and today, we have 60 outlets in Bengal, six in the Mumbai region and one each in New Delhi and Indore. We have a plan to have 100 outlets by the end of this year. The recipes, craftsmanship and quality are preserved at Flurys to produce the most delectable confections.”