A1 Roadside cafes/food vans

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hello,
I’m a researcher for True North Productions based in Leeds, and we’re currently making a second series of A1: Britain’s Longest Road.

I’m hoping to get some advice from truck drivers that frequently use the A1 regarding roadside cafes or food vans that might make a nice feature on our programme. We’re looking for any interesting characters that have a particularly interesting story, maybe they’ve been working on the A1 for several decades, or their food is so good people travel specifically to eat there.

I thought the UK’s truck drivers would be the best place to ask for opinions on this, thanks in advance for the help.

2

Stibbington diner…

Just north of Peterborough on the southbound side. It’s been there for many years and is one of the few truckstops open 24 hours during the week.

The food isn’t Egon Ronay standards though.

3

TrueNorthProductions:
Hello,
I’m a researcher for True North Productions based in Leeds, and we’re currently making a second series of A1: Britain’s Longest Road.

I’m hoping to get some advice from truck drivers that frequently use the A1 regarding roadside cafes or food vans that might make a nice feature on our programme. We’re looking for any interesting characters that have a particularly interesting story, maybe they’ve been working on the A1 for several decades, or their food is so good people travel specifically to eat there.

I thought the UK’s truck drivers would be the best place to ask for opinions on this, thanks in advance for the help.

:laughing:

4

The Cedar Cafe at Grantshouse, the food is that good that locals do travel there for meals.

5

Grizzly’s on the A1 north at biggleswade,

Chris’s buttey van at the the Cromwell halt, south bound.

The Fox at colsterworth.
Any Greggs.

There was also a chap who you would see walking along the A1, carrying his world in a couple of bags, wearing a dirty old hi-viz jacket.

6

TrueNorthProductions:
I thought the UK’s truck drivers would be the best place to ask for opinions on this, thanks in advance for the help.

There are people here who believe pizza & a beer is luxury or are confused by the words “Home Made”, I wish you luck… but the best place to start… let’s put this in a nutshell… Stibbington is a **** hole… if it’s raining - you’ll need your wellies or you’ll disappear in the swamp. The nearest place to the A1 for good food is my kitchen… that’s because I’m a brilliant cook… it’s about 40 miles from my door to the A1.

Most drivers wouldn’t know good food, that’s why they all look like a Toby Jug… except me of course… I’m devastatingly handsome. :slight_smile:

I’d love to appear in your show, but I doubt you can afford me… all the best.

7

During the early 90’s I drove for Federal Express on the Matchbox toys contract and we only had two artics on the contract, the rest of the fleet were rigids. I worked with a guy who was full of life and fun to work with. Some of the routes we took involved delivering to the Newcastle area and driving up the A1, we would run together if we could or time things so if travelling in the opposite directions we would meet for nights out and one of our favourite overnight stops was the ‘Beedale Hunt’, a pub next to the A1 in Yorkshire, sadly demolished later for road widening, we got into trouble many times and here are a couple …

The pub had a rough surfaced lorry park at the side and rear and we would park there and use the facilities before eating. One night my mate couldn’t wait to use the shower and as he was not in the least bit shy he decided to strip off completely and wash himself from top to bottom in the toilets, as he did so he got some strange looks from customers using the toilets, one particular stuck up man looked shocked at his actions as he lathered up soapy foam around his genitalia, “What the f*** are you staring at ?” he shouted at the guy, “Don’t you have balls yourself ?”
The man ran out quite fast as I laughed loudly, within a second or so a Dutch driver came out of the only shower in the toilets, he also looked shocked, “You can f*** off back to what ever country you came from and all” he said. We both went inside for our usual bangers and mash in a Yorkshire pudding.

Another time we were transporting what was the most popular Christmas toy in the UK that year, we were both loaded with Tracey Islands, these were often targets for robbery because of the demand so when we parked there we decided to reverse our trailers back to back for security, both trailers had good padlocks but having been a victim of theft in Glasgow a week before I didn’t trust those alone, we backed up so the doors touched and it was impossible to get to the roller doors, we went inside and cleaned up then after a few beer and more Yorkshire pudding we retired to our own cabs and slept, next morning we awoke and went in for breakfast but on returning to the vehicles we found we were stuck together as we had forgotten that my trailer had air suspension and his had leaf springs, overnight my trailer dropped and both were locked together, we had to call out a breakdown company to separate our vehicles LOL.

Looking back at things like this still bring a smile to my face, sadly my mate ‘Hop Scotch’ died a couple of years ago, but I will never forget him or the Beedale Hunt.

8

scottie0011:
The Cedar Cafe at Grantshouse, the food is that good that locals do travel there for meals.

One of the best cafes in the UK I reckon, (although the competition aint too fierce on that score :smiley: )

Not cheap, but good food well cooked, and as good if not better than any pub type restaurant.
I’d rather pay a couple of quid more for a decent meal than buy cheap crap.

9

TrueNorthProductions:
I’m hoping to get some advice from truck drivers that frequently use the A1 regarding roadside cafes or food vans that might make a nice feature on our programme. We’re looking for any interesting characters that have a particularly interesting story, maybe they’ve been working on the A1 for several decades, or their food is so good people travel specifically to eat there.

Well your in luck then, I am a very interesting character more so than most on here. I am also a highly acclaimed refrigeration engineer and when it comes to chilled and frozen foods, I am your expert. The A1 is my stomping ground and am often seen sampling the local cuisine that are on offer the length and breadth of this fine stretch of road. During the periods of the shooting season I will often eat roadkill and have also been known to share the odd partridge and pheasant with my fellow truckers, I would say I offer the best cuisine on the A1 and people travel the length of Britain and from the continent to ■■■■■■■■ delights. I am also very photogenic so would be the perfect choice for any TV production. I am also a star of You tube so am very o fay with interview techniques. Any further info you may contact me via email.

10

UKtramp:

TrueNorthProductions:
I’m hoping to get some advice from truck drivers that frequently use the A1 regarding roadside cafes or food vans that might make a nice feature on our programme. We’re looking for any interesting characters that have a particularly interesting story, maybe they’ve been working on the A1 for several decades, or their food is so good people travel specifically to eat there.

Well your in luck then, I am a very interesting character more so than most on here. I am also a highly acclaimed refrigeration engineer and when it comes to chilled and frozen foods, I am your expert. The A1 is my stomping ground and am often seen sampling the local cuisine that are on offer the length and breadth of this fine stretch of road. During the periods of the shooting season I will often eat roadkill and have also been known to share the odd partridge and pheasant with my fellow truckers, I would say I offer the best cuisine on the A1 and people travel the length of Britain and from the continent to ■■■■■■■■ delights. I am also very photogenic so would be the perfect choice for any TV production. I am also a star of You tube so am very o fay with interview techniques. Any further info you may contact me via email.

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you sure your not mixing up interesting with irritating? :confused:

11

dieseldog999:
you sure your not mixing up interesting with irritating? :confused:

Stop trying to put yourself in the picture dieseldog, you have missed the boat, this is my turn to shine. Come on TrueNorthProductions I am ready for my close up.

12

Is there such a thing as ‘cuisine’ from a uk burger van or road cafe?? The two i had the misfortune to stop at this week in the uk looked pretty filthy, cup of tea in a takeaway cup was all i dared try. Boycotting would do the job, as long as money is being spent theyll carry on serving up crap. Not entirely everthing over here is top notch but its a massive improvement over what UK drivers have to put up with…

13

AndrewG:
Is there such a thing as ‘cuisine’ from a uk burger van or road cafe?? The two i had the misfortune to stop at this week in the uk looked pretty filthy, cup of tea in a takeaway cup was all i dared try. Boycotting would do the job, as long as money is being spent theyll carry on serving up crap. Not entirely everthing over here is top notch but its a massive improvement over what UK drivers have to put up with…

There’s only about 2 of those vans that I ever use, and they are both on retail parks, so they are catering more for shoppers rather than truckers, so a bit more up market you might say.
One is in Hartlepool next to B&Q, they do a lovely roast meat bagette or roll, with apple sauce.
The other is at Abingdon Oxford, round where the old MG works used to be, a real good breakfast or breakfast roll, and not full of grease and fat, but well cooked and dry, how I like them.

Most of those vans in lay bys I wouldn’t take my dog for a feed there, cheap crappy meat cooked in grease served in cheap crappy rolls…usually dry and past sell by date, with a cup of tea made with old stewed tea bags…no thanks.

14

scottie0011:
The Cedar Cafe at Grantshouse, the food is that good that locals do travel there for meals.

Cedar possibly the best on the A1 ,seconded by jaynes at Blythe .

15

TrueNorthProductions:
Hello,
I’m a researcher for True North Productions based in Leeds, and we’re currently making a second series of A1: Britain’s Longest Road.

I’m hoping to get some advice from truck drivers that frequently use the A1 regarding roadside cafes or food vans that might make a nice feature on our programme. We’re looking for any interesting characters that have a particularly interesting story, maybe they’ve been working on the A1 for several decades, or their food is so good people travel specifically to eat there.

I thought the UK’s truck drivers would be the best place to ask for opinions on this, thanks in advance for the help.

Up and down the length of ‘The Great North Road’ AKA: The Roman Road (A1), you can find many examples of burnt out truck drivers offering ■■■■ o van… not to be confused with that tasty French dish: Coq au vin… no no these ■■■■■ sell mainly bacon butties and dodgy cheap sausages in a defrosted, stale bread bun.
Tea is offered in a polystyrene cup, or instant coffee to remind people of life in the 70s.

In some of the larger lay-bys, refrain from venturing off the tarmac or other hard surfaces… some drivers think the world is their toilet… put your headlights on suddenly at night and these rat infested portals appear to move, yet slovenly as these rats are so large and numerous they fear nothing.

When you awake in the morn, see the converted container or portacabin with the stench of cheap smoky (not smoked) bacon wafting toward - it’s hardly the delight of the discerning client, nor the residence of Britain’s recent determination to prove we no longer all live on crap.

Unfortunately, whilst the middle classes are completely engrossed with what they believe to be a food revolution, spending their days at pretentious foodie markets… nooon seem to know what they now call cuisine, was once known as dinner in the working class homes from where their culinarily lessons originated.

My dear late mum could really cook, she was the best chef I’ve ever known… and when I was a kid… if you wanted to eat in our house - you had to learn how to cook. Survival was instilled by the only true feminist I’ve ever known.

We kept rabbits and we enjoyed the finest rabbit stew & dumplings in the world.
Bacon was cured in the pantry and the smell of fresh bread baked with proper yeast was a daily occurrence… mother would prove her bread in the hearth of the open fire…

If you want to eat dog ****, or stereotype fat truck drivers, then the A1 is the right place to start… just remember this… we’re not all fat & thick.

16

UKtramp:

dieseldog999:
you sure your not mixing up interesting with irritating? :confused:

Stop trying to put yourself in the picture dieseldog, you have missed the boat, this is my turn to shine. Come on TrueNorthProductions I am ready for my close up.

ahem…i never,ever,ever.miss the boat. if god had meant us to miss boats,he wouldnt have invented happy buttons… :wink:

17

I used to call at the portacabin south of the ram jam on the old rd layby until I saw a rat in the food store shed ,put me off for life .that bank side out side the red lion at 16 is crawling with rats .

18

dieseldog999:

UKtramp:

dieseldog999:
you sure your not mixing up interesting with irritating? :confused:

Stop trying to put yourself in the picture dieseldog, you have missed the boat, this is my turn to shine. Come on TrueNorthProductions I am ready for my close up.

ahem…i never,ever,ever.miss the boat. if god had meant us to miss boats,he wouldnt have invented happy buttons… :wink:

Well my boat is about to come in, I am shining like a star and to have the following quote after my name is my right, “UKtramp as seen on TV” it has a certain ring to it.

19

you sure your not mixing up interesting with irritating? :confused:
[/quote]
Stop trying to put yourself in the picture dieseldog, you have missed the boat, this is my turn to shine. Come on TrueNorthProductions I am ready for my close up.
[/quote]
ahem…i never,ever,ever.miss the boat. if god had meant us to miss boats,he wouldnt have invented happy buttons… :wink:
[/quote]
Well my boat is about to come in, I am shining like a star and to have the following quote after my name is my right, “UKtramp as seen on TV” it has a certain ring to it.
[/quote]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
possibly you might be more suited if they revamp the old stars in your eyes and you might fancy appearing on that as glenn miller.that way,once you go up the stairs into the clouds where your heads waiting,you might just vanish and we would never hear from you again?? :wink:

20

robroy:
Most of those vans in lay bys I wouldn’t take my dog for a feed there, cheap crappy meat cooked in grease served in cheap crappy rolls…usually dry and past sell by date, with a cup of tea made with old stewed tea bags…no thanks.

And you have to finish your brew off with warm milk thats been out all day, a dirty teaspoon and some sugar from an open plastic tub with bits of dead fly in it. And then pay them a pound or a the privilege.

Then they’ll moan when Greggs open nearby and everybody goes there instead.