Storm Bert was making its presence felt as we descended on the windswept streets of Tooting. The area has been around since pre-Saxon times, when the Romans built a road called Stane Street that stretched between Chichester and London, passing through the area that is now modern-day Tooting.

Nine years have elapsed since we last visited Harringtons, which has been serving the local denizens since 1908. A few years ago, the shop was extensively renovated with new seating arrangements and an extended dining area. The once dilapidated shop-sign has also had a revitalizing lick of paint.

Alas, it was announced last month that the shop will be selling up and closing after 116 years of trade. So quite understandably the place was packed when we visited, as a horde of customers queued up for the opportunity to dine here one last time.

The club’s youth division was represented by Andy Saunders and Terry Moore, who both shored up their points tally with a hefty 2&2 each.

With the rain flowing outside, Douglas Benford looked like he could weather any storm as he doused the heat of his eels with a shower of vinegar. His splash-proof anorak remained firmly on.

Paul Chysanthou joined us at the marble tops. Despite being a newbie on the club scene, he asserted his credentials with a sizeable platter of 2 pies, 2 mash, 2 liquor and stewed eels for his d-eel-ectations.

Last season’s wooden spoon winner Vikki-Cole Richardson was keen to boost her average points score in the league. She surveyed the scene with intent over her marble-top turntable; dubbing herself DJ Pie, she could be spinning such timeless classics like ‘House of Pies, ‘One Pie or Another’ and ‘Every Pie’s a Dinner.’

Due to a shortage of bowls, the eels were deftly served in enamel pie tins instead.

Surf and turf combos proved quite popular among the many who dined here this lunchtime.

Linda Jones (left) made her first club appearance in three years. The shop is conveniently located, as its only one bus ride away from her homestead in New Malden. Linda was accompanied by her friend Brenda Smith (right), who was astounded by the frenzy of competitive activity going on around her.

Keith Allwright related to us his close brush with fame. Whilst working up on an electricity post in Finsbury Park, he spotted Shaw Taylor with a camera crew walking along the pavement directly beneath him as he worked, filming an episode of 'Police 5'.

When it comes to his pies, Nick Evans prefers to “keep em’ peeled.”

Rather unconventionally, the pies at Harringtons are cooked with lamb mince, which gives the flavour a unique taste compared to pies at other pie & mash shops. Despite this, the fare was packed tightly like an overstretched suitcase, which made it rather difficult when trying to devour the tucker.

Our man from Eastdene, Ray Goldstone battled through rain, wind and disrupted rail services in order to get here. A gratifying feast of pie, mash and eels was the ideal reward for his long-distance endeavours.

Meanwhile your scribe was struggling to work out the bottom from the top, as he tried to devise a way to tackle the pies without accidentally catapulting half his meal across the room.

Despite being absent from club fixtures since December 21’, Tom Leader swept in like a force-nine gale and effortlessly ploughed through a Noah’s Ark (two of everything), scoring the day’s highest score of 24 points.

Meanwhile at the other of the dining-room, Brenda recalled her childhood memories of growing up in Hoxton, where she would often visit Manze’s with her Grandmother. In those days, they used to sell live eels in trays outside by the windows, and occasionally some would escape to freedom down the nearest drain.

Despite the renovations six years ago; due to the shop’s comparatively diminutive size, whenever it gets busy, it can feel like a game of Sardines as one tries to find room to consume their scran.

The stained-glass ship which used to feature above the front door, now has pride of place on the liquor green wall.

The staff at Harringtons have seen generations of customers dining at the shop over the decades. Jacqui has been at the serving counter and plying the tables for 51 years, whilst pieman David has been using the same pie-press for 58 years since he started work here at the age of 12. He may well have churned out close to a million pies in that time.

David was keen to show me round the kitchen where pies are made. When he first started at the shop, all those years ago, several family members were involved in preparing the pies, to meet the high demand.

The shop has been run by the same family for over a century since it first opened. Several generations have been involved in the business, gradually turning the place into a pillar of the local community.

The Tooting Gastronome Front.

We took refuge from the gathering storm outside, downing a few jars at JJ Moons, one the oldest branches of the Wetherspoons empire, operating since 1991. Situated opposite Tooting Broadway Station, this would be the ideal drinking spot for Wolfie and Ken after a hard days' canvassing for the Tooting Popular Front. And you can obtain beer here at Cold War prices.

Power to the People!!

MG