Power Cuts, Pyrex and Curry: The Ellis Family's 1970s Bradford Feast

Seatbelts on for 1970s Bradford. The Ellis family hit power cuts, colour TV and a whirlwind of new tastes that turned tea time into a tour of a changing North. From spaghetti hoop puffs to pressure-cooker scouse with Claire Sweeney, the decade serves up speed, thrift and surprises. Decimalisation turns shopping into a puzzle, candles are homemade for blackout nights, and Pyrex takes pride of place after Sunderland’s FA Cup shock. Convenience casseroles and Vesta paella collide with sangria-in-a-jug, while a rented Rumbelows colour TV steals the living room. Shobna Gulati guides John and Lesley through Karachi, Bradford’s oldest curry house, as Northern Soul all-dayers, a Wigan kebab, and flat-pack furniture redefine leisure. Strikes, the three-day week and a bakers’ walkout force homemade bread and new routines, while dinner-lady training reveals serious skill behind school meals. Want to see how a working-class family navigates rising prices, new freedoms for women and the flavors that reshaped Britain? Watch the full episode now. #BackInTimeForTea #1970s #Bradford #NorthernHistory #BritishFood #PowerCuts #NorthernSoul #Curry