Never deferential, open to all – how the Good Food Guide democratised dining | Martin Kettle

Founded by a socialist who believed good food was a universal right, it will be sorely missed

In the wider scheme of things, and amid so much devastation from Covid, it may seem frivolous to get indignant about the closure of a venerable national publication. Times and priorities change, after all. Tastes and markets alter. Each year, long before Covid, many other publications have died too.

Yet the passing of the Good Food Guide, which was quietly announced last week by its current owner, Waitrose, was a cruel and avoidable death with wider resonance for British life and social history. The annual guide to this country’s best places to eat was in good commercial health as its 70th anniversary approached. As restaurants rebuild, if they can, after the pandemic, the guide’s public service role would have been more important than ever.

Related: Family food radiates joy and memories far beyond the taste of each meal | Alison Rourke

Martin Kettle is a Guardian columnist

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