Is it me? but I don’t seem to be able to get a sausage sarnie anywhere any more. I use the A1 from North Yorkshire down south regular and nowadays I can’t find a scoff caravan. They used to be 10 a penny. Where have they all gone?
Lonewolf Yorks:
Is it me? but I don’t seem to be able to get a sausage sarnie anywhere any more. I use the A1 from North Yorkshire down south regular and nowadays I can’t find a scoff caravan. They used to be 10 a penny. Where have they all gone?
To be fair the A1 is mostly no longer the right type of old school A road with a high lay byes to traffic ratio.Not a big difference between M1 v A1 in that regard.Relatively more old school character left on roads like A5 and A6 and A10 and A41 etc among others through areas like Herefordshire and Shropshire in that regard.
Have some fruit instead, far healthier! 
Maybe a good thing for public health that many of them are gone.
Not just for the cheap greasy crappy ‘food’ but the dubious hygiene. 
Ok not all of them are/were as bad as that …(only most of them. )
It’s the old adage; “use ‘em or lose ‘em”.
My local cafe…
Has a for sale board on it now. It’s been serving excellent food at rock bottom prices in spotlessly clean surroundings for years. One of the big coffee chains tried to lowball them so they kicked it back, but it’s just a matter of time before another good place is gone.
More than likely many can`t meet hygiene regulations,along with paying for a trading licence from respective Councils.
lolipop:
More than likely many can`t meet hygiene regulations,along with paying for a trading licence from respective Councils.
There was…
A large number of them that closed up in the early 80s. Some sort of regulation changed and several good ones that I frequently visited closed forever. Odd really cos the were all still filled with cigarette smoke and sweaty drivers.
I blame the meal deal.
yourhavingalarf:
My local cafe…Has a for sale board on it now. It’s been serving excellent food at rock bottom prices in spotlessly clean surroundings for years. One of the big coffee chains tried to lowball them so they kicked it back, but it’s just a matter of time before another good place is gone.
Yup,the scourge of Starbucks/Costa/Subways/Greggs is clear to see, doing to roadside nosebaggeries pretty much what supermarkets have achieved via hollowing out local shops but serving up a totally different type of epicurean swill at top dollar.I find myself missing the Little-Chefs’ of yore.Not exactly haute cuisine per se; but they had consistency of product at reasonable cost i recall ?.Those vanilla ice-cream pancakes with chocolate sauce were always welcome with me.Starbucks/Costa seem prime usurperers of many of those buildings with their corporate focused crap.
manalishi:
yourhavingalarf:
My local cafe…Has a for sale board on it now. It’s been serving excellent food at rock bottom prices in spotlessly clean surroundings for years. One of the big coffee chains tried to lowball them so they kicked it back, but it’s just a matter of time before another good place is gone.
Yup,the scourge of Starbucks/Costa/Subways/Greggs is clear to see, doing to roadside nosebaggeries pretty much what supermarkets have achieved via hollowing out local shops but serving up a totally different type of epicurean swill at top dollar.I find myself missing the Little-Chefs’ of yore.Not exactly haute cuisine per se; but they had consistency of product at reasonable cost i recall ?.Those vanilla ice-cream pancakes with chocolate sauce were always welcome with me.Starbucks/Costa seem prime usurperers of many of those buildings with their corporate focused crap.
The Jubilee pancake…
A sugar bomb of cherries and squirty cream stuffed in a pancake, it followed on from the big 7 burger with chips. The whole lot coming in at under a tenner. Best part was actually being served and the food appearing on actual plates. Never spent more than a tenner.
Decided to push on abit further today,and have the night in Lincoln farm.
Not been in there for 6 or 7 years.
Mixed grill still hits the spot…with a couple of beers 
I used the sit down cafe in the picnic area at Honiton today.
Used it for years you always got a good meal for good value, with good portions.
Went in today, looks like it has changed management.
First thing I noticed was the prices have gone right up.
I ordered a ‘Small breakfast’ and it was just that…'ie small.
Got a tea with it it came to about 8 quid,.there were other larger options available, for obviously more money up to about 12 quid I think it was…(dont quote me on it)
Got to say that tbf what the (very attractive) young lass served me was good, even though there was not a lot on the plate for the price, but they seemed to go for presentation rather than quantity. 
Ok it was good, but not as good as the last owners,.and deffo not as much on the plate.
Will go.again, but I’ll maybe try the bigger option next time.
On other hand I’d sooner pay a bit more for decent quality food, than buy cheap greasy crap.
Yeah loads of snack vans and cafes gone over the years used to be loads on the A34 down from the M40 some 24 hour which all seemed to dissapear when cherwell services opened
and the A1 around 5 lanes end ( worksop/manton wood R/bout ) before the layout changed
out of necessity i stopped at a van on the way to mansfeild the other day sausage and egg with a can £5.60 …wont be doing that again
i used to enjoy the scud carrier near runcorn years ago breakfast in a baguette but that went a long time ago
with the cost of even basic snacks going up and up and up i took to taking sandwiches most of the time
I often wonder who uses those vans in laybys, they never seem particularly busy. The problem I have with them is it’s rare that one coincides with when Im thinking of taking my break, or the layby is full. Id rather plan my break for a services where I know I’ll have room to park and facilities to use, not just a burger van in a layby and a bush to pee in. I suppose if its part of your regular route you can plan your breaks around them, but otherwise I dont have time to stop and wait there, TM will be on my case wanting to know why Im not moving and not on a break.
I wonder if perhaps one of the biggest contributor to their downfall is real time GPS monitoring of trucks 
Where’s the one that is known for a bit of ■■■■■■ in the woods behind? 
tierbirdy:
I often wonder who uses those vans in laybys, they never seem particularly busy. The problem I have with them is it’s rare that one coincides with when Im thinking of taking my break, or the layby is full. Id rather plan my break for a services where I know I’ll have room to park and facilities to use, not just a burger van in a layby and a bush to pee in. I suppose if its part of your regular route you can plan your breaks around them, but otherwise I dont have time to stop and wait there, TM will be on my case wanting to know why Im not moving and not on a break.I wonder if perhaps one of the biggest contributor to their downfall is real time GPS monitoring of trucks
Ask your TM if he EVER leaves his ■■■■ desk for 2 minutes himself, or get 5he bloke who sits next to him to bell you if he ever does, give him 5 mins and ask him what he’s been doing… 
I’d rather jack the ■■■■ whole job in than work for that sort of co ffs.
K27:
Where’s the one that is known for a bit of ■■■■■■ in the woods behind?
J25 M62. If you bat on the other side of course.
Passed it this morning in the car on the way to my mates gaff at Brighouse
Visited rellies in Devon last weekend.Obliged to stay at a Travelodge because my wife can’t manage stairs.first night tried a Burger king burger which was absolutely revolting.However,almost opposite is a small parking area with toilet block and a catering trailer which is not half bad and worthy of a visit.There used to be a portakabin cafe there until covid struck.To access the place take Sourton exit off A30 just west of Okehampton.Opposite side of road to petrol station,etc.
id think once you are on the radar as competition from McD /costas or whoever else is big and nearby and ruthless your days as a cafe are numbered.Theyll have swing at the local council who can shut you down quite easily.
commonrail:
Decided to push on abit further today,and have the night in Lincoln farm.
Not been in there for 6 or 7 years.
Mixed grill still hits the spot…with a couple of beers
Lincoln Farm blast from the past,was using that on nights 55 years ago when it was a 24hr caff