A SPIFFING 1930s-themed Spitfire Anniversary Dinner is being held in Langrish to mark the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the iconic aircraft.

Fittingly the Langrish House Hotel, where the event is being held tonight (Friday), has had no small part to play in the Spitfire’s illustrious history.

In the stables there, around 160 men were working around the clock during the Second World War to produce cockpits and parts for Spitfires and other munitions for the war effort.

This grew out of a small manufacturing business Edward Talbot-Ponsonby, the father of the current owner, Nigel Talbot-Ponsonby, set up there.

In 1930, the War Office, at a week’s notice, requisitioned Langrish House and troops from New Zealand made it their home.

The soldiers either slept in the house or on the three large lawns in tents.

It is hoped the dinner will capture the spirit of the 1930s, and the endeavour of the Spitfire – which first took to the skies as a prototype from Southampton Airport on March 5, 1936 – with a four-course meal inspired by the era.

Dress of the period is optional.

Tonight (Friday), Langrish head chef Nathan Marshall and his team will be serving an impressive menu of locally-sourced ingredients to diners: game pie with carrots, spinach and black pudding; pan-fried south coast plaice, chips and tartare sauce, and trio of Hampshire pork – galette, fillet and confit belly with Old Winchester cheese mashed potato.

For dessert, there is rhubarb and custard, vanilla parfait and rhubarb sorbet.

This will be accompanied by freshly brewed tea and coffee. The menu has been translated into German too.

For more information visit the hotel’s website at www.langrishhouse.co.uk or call 01730 266941.