1971: Coffee bar ban on women

Joan Shenton reports on a century-old law that prevents lone women from buying coffee late at night, as a precaution against prostitution.

Despite disagreeing, the owner of an all-night coffee house upholds the law and, evidently, the Refreshment Houses Act of 1860 is very much current. But will the reporter manage to obtain a cup of coffee elsewhere?

From the BBC Archives. Originally broadcast 19 August 1971.