As far as traditional Bermudian family businesses go, there cannot be many that are as long-lasting and successful than the Green Lantern Restaurant.

For, the fast food restaurant based on Serpentine Road, Pembroke West, was started by Cyril and Bernice Burns on December 10 1942 and is still going strong under the astute management of Mr. Burns' daughter Jan Swan, grandson Andre Woods and grand daughters Denise Peters and Laurel Burns as well as his son-in-law Ashton Peters 65 years later to the day.

Mr. Burns bought the building for the princely sum of £275 from Jos Brown after previously acquiring the business from William Steede and Faith Bassett-Steede and under his ownership it has changed from a neighbourhood grocery store to meeting place and then, most recently, a fast food diner specialising in fish and chip suppers, according to Ms. Swan.

"It is a real family business - right now we have my son, two nieces and brother-in-law running the place," she said.

"When I first remembered it, it was just like a little neighbourhood grocery store - that is how it started and then, because it was open very late at nights men used to come in and sit down and talk, so it was like a meeting place, and then somebody suggested that my father started selling fish and that is where is just took off.

"So, we have effectively gone from being a neighbourhood grocery store to a fully-fledged restaurant."

The restaurant prides itself in its home style meals, while the original menu is still being served to this day, said Ms. Swan.

"We specialise in fish and chips and we have daily specials," she said.

"We sell hamburgers and french fries and fast food and, above all, it is an affordable restaurant.

But what really makes it unique is the Bermudian-owned tradition that is has maintained throughout the years, said Ms. Swan.

"We are one of the few lasting Bermudian-owned restaurants to my knowledge," she said.

"We have stood the test of time considering all the other local restaurants around us.

"But, we have a good client base from all over the Island.

"One gentleman who regularly comes in considers this to place to be something of an institution because he used to come here when he was at school and now he works in the area and he is still coming back."

And Ms. Swan has high hopes for the future of the Green Lantern, but, above all, she just wants to see it remain in the family's hands for further generations to keep up the tradition started all those years ago.

"As long as life lasts it will be here for me," she said.

"We are fortunate because my parents left a foundation where we own the business and the property.

"They left us something we have to carry on, and right now that has continued down to the fourth generation in my grandson, who works here part-time."

To celebrate the occasion the restaurant has been giving out free sodas and juices to customers and decorating the place with banners to mark the event.

The restaurant, which is open from 9am to 9pm on weekdays and Saturdays, except Wednesday, when it is open from 9am to 3pm, and Sundays, when it is shut, has 12 full and part-time staff on its books and has capacity to seat around 40 people.