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		The Fountain The Fountain Inn is a nice old thatched inn today, but it was not thatched in 1920s. It had a corrugated iron roof, it was a butchers shop, slaughterhouse was the builing on the left as you look at it. Most butcher's killed their own meat in those days, just got local meat and slaughtered it on the premises. The butcher moved to what is now London Road Stores. Out the back was another little brick building, that was the slaughterhouse there. The Fountain was turned into high class restaurant. Very few of the locals went in, you didn't go in just for a drink. It was more of a restaurant than an inn, but they called it the 'Inn which is different'. There was advertising all down the A5, and theWhite house (Withdene) had a sign on the top and arrow pointing the way for The Fountain . This was the 1930s. This had petrol pumps in front, after it stopped being butchers. It also had an old stagecoach out front. For ornament really, though it was useable, a bit. The Fountain had quite a reputation among aviators from London -Croydon - and it had its own landing field where Furzton local centre is. It had 'Fountain' in 1m high concrete letters across the field. The visitors would fly from Croydon- follow A5 or railway - then they would circle the Fountain twice - and by the time they had landed at Furzton the pub would have sent a car to the airstrip to pick them up. They would have their evening meal in the restaurant - then the car would take them back to the airfield. One of the most famous was Sir Alan Cobham. He brought what was called his "Flying Circus" annually on a Sunday. They all landed -15 - 20 aeroplanes - landed on the airstrip. For 10 bob they would give people flights. Did aerobatics over the top. It was a good afternoon out. No refuelling facilities at airfield. Chap had a hut up at the airstrip, maybe had oil, but petrol had to be brought from The Fountain. There was just a white hut , it had gravel and fence round it, few flowers, maybe. Windsock, of course. Nothing else
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