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The first floor, if intended to be opened as a coffee-room, may be fitted up with tables and seats in a similar manner to the ground floor, either with or without a small counter, and convenience for washing crockery. In a large house the lift may be extended to the first floor, or if this cannot be done, a speaking tube should communicate with the bar below. In case the first floor is not required for coffee-room purposes, it may be let to a working man's club, or other societies, for meetings, etc., or it may be utilised for letting lodgings and fitted with divisions or 'cubicles,' each of which forms a small bedroom suitable for a single man; any other rooms that can be spared in the upper part of the house being fitted in the same manner. The cost of dividing rooms in this manner, including partitions and plain furnishing with iron bedsteads 6 feet by 3 feet, will be from £5 to £5. 10s. each division or bedroom.
The importance of providing lodgings for single men, whenever possible, is earnestly dwelt upon by Miss Nightingale in her letter to the Duke of Westminster (page 8), and a correspondent of The Times—the Rev. G. P. Davies, of Berlin—has shown how great are the benefits which have resulted throughout Germany from the institution, by Professor Perthes, of lodging-houses for travelling mechanics. Comparatively few Coffee Publichouses yet established contain lodging-rooms, but where this has been done the profit is considerable. The Report of the first year's work ended December 31st, 1877, at the 'Rose and Crown' Coffee Palace, Knightsbridge, states that accommodation is provided there for twelve lodgers, that the beds have been well occupied, the sum received for lodgings during the year having been £127. 4s. 8d.[1] In the 'Rose and Crown' Rooms adjoining, which is virtually a separate undertaking though under the same management, twenty-five additional lodgers are accommodated, and the beds are now reported to be
- ↑ The net profit on the first year's working of the 'Rose and Crown' Coffee Palace was £135. 18s. 10d, equal to 6½ per cent, on the sum expended, which was exceptionally large.
