THE fate of the Tupperware party has been sealed. No longer will we be able spend an evening cooing over plastic food containers and enjoying a glass of wine and gossip with the girls.

Earlier this week, the US Tupperware group announced it was stopping its party sales in Britain, concentrating on other retail methods such as the Internet, mail order and even putting its products into shops.

The change means 1,500 Tupperware demonstrators, 160 managers and 20 distributors across the UK will lose their jobs but it also means the end of an era.

The Tupperware party arrived in Britain in 1960 and, at a time when women had little freedom, offered them a chance both to socialise and earn their own money.

Pat Martin, a former teacher from Lanchester, County Durham, went to her first Tupperware party at a friend's house in 1977 and was immediately hooked.

"It was great fun and everyone was doing it so I started doing parties myself. It was also a great way to earn a bit of extra cash," she said.

Like all the demonstrators, Pat received a thorough training, learning everything from how to display the containers to the mysterious art of burping the seal.

"Some of the people there took it so seriously and they actually made quite a lot of money from it."

Pat was a demonstrator for about five years but eventually became tired of Tupperware.

"It had been a bit of a novelty when I started doing it but people stopped being interested after a while.

"To be honest, I'm surprised the parties lasted this long. People would much rather go to an Ann Summers party these days."

Parties will still be part of the business in US and elsewhere in Europe and Tupperware will be sold in Britain in other ways.