for thoses who go to east london i;e silvertown a well known cafe called georges dinner has served its last brew the owner has retired after 45 years of serving fry ups, ,no more bubble 
got to hide some were else now 
Thats a shame, especialy as that had kept going through all the development down there
oh well good luck to the old boy but i will miss the place when i load sugar next time
I used to like using that cafe when the old International Paints was down there. Wasn’t he interested in selling it cos it always seemed to have trucks overnighting there
Brian who ran the cafe grew up there as his old man owned and ran it before him.It was a handy stop cos you could always get parked there and service was rapid plus you could get all sorts of odds and sods there,tachos,shower,papers,■■■■ and mags etc.Happy retirement to Brian and Jan 
That’s not the old Silvertown Motel is it? I remember when it first opened in the 60s, everyone wanted to stop there and you had to book ahead. In those pre sleeper cab days a single room and showers was like heaven compared to the dingy old digs with beds a foot apart and drunken navvies coming in at all times of the night. Likewise ‘cab hotel’ which many drivers preferred (I wonder why) to the digs.
When I first saw it advertised in Headlight I was determined to stop there and my chance came when I had several dock deliveries of whisky to do. With no chance of reloading in the same day I booked myself in. Then, ringing in with just one drop left to say I would do it first thing in the morning, to my horror the boss said come straight back we’ll tranship that onto another motor which is leaving at midnight 
. (This was Ilkeston Haulage where they would only pay you 23 1/2 hours per day because they refused to believe anybody went without their lunch 
)
Anyway, I staggered back up to Ilkeston where willing hands transhipped the cases before I had finished filling up. Didn’t get finally to stay at Silvertown till many years later when the shine was off and it was distinctly seedy.
If this is not George’s, please accept apologies for an old git’s meander down memory lane. 
BTW, we were all ‘gentlemen of the road’ in those days, and yes I did ring to cancel. 
Salut, David.
I never used the digs, Im not that ancient 
But if it is Georges diner / Silvertown Motel, we used to use it when running between Loders and Crooklaan and Van den Burghs at Purfleet, as already mentioned, it was probably the best bubble ever 
Happy Retirement
Georges diner and the motel are 2 seperate places. the old motel was situated at the foot of the flyover in silvertown way on the left hand side. Georges diner (ran by Brian) is a bit further up the road.
But its a sad day now that he is shutting up shop…for there is no where else around that area where you can get a decent bit of grub.
The next nearest is in the tank cleaning wash (sets) which is in chequers lane although there are a couple of burger bars in the area of silvertown, the parking is restricted,
good luck to brian and jan for their past service, and may they enjoy many years of retirement.
Is the Motel still going then Bob?
Salut, David.
While we’re on the subject of caffs, is this one still open and trading?
Coming off the Woolwich ferry, northbound, you do a left and it’s just a few hundred yards along on the right. Run by a young fellah. Terrific breakfasts. I bet trucky knows it.
Just wondered.
Steve
rexyu:
While we’re on the subject of caffs,
Truckstop News has a story this month - another Cafe up against the planners!!
PORTLY Ford Café’s ongoing fight for survival has taken a new turn, with the Welford, Northants business asking transport bosses to write to council planners to explain why it should not be forced to close.
The café, at Junction 1 of the A14, has been trading for
12 years. But it’s been a precarious existence, because
Daventry District Council won’t grant it full planning
permission and it has to go back cap in hand each year to
have temporary permission renewed.
Even this has now been refused, but Portly owners
Andrew and Jayne Miles won’t give in without another
fight to stay in business.
Customers are taking a letter from Andrew to their
bosses, asking for their support.
He explains: “At our junction there is planning
permission for a full blown service station on the
opposite quadrant. This has not come to fruition for 12
years for various reasons.
“We understand that, in recent years, many much
needed truckstops have closed and we intend to appeal
against the decision for us to close.
“There are no alternative services in any direction for
30 miles.
“We have spent a considerable amount of time and
money enabling us to trade thus far. Four years ago our
case was the subject of a call-in procedure by the
Secretary of State which resulted in us not being able to
build a permanent site, but to continue on a temporary
basis only.
“The need for services at this junction has never been
in doubt, from the Secretary of State to the drivers
themselves. Daventry District Council have simply
become fed up of our temporary arrangement.
“Our best hope of success in appealing against this
decision is to demonstrate further the undeniable need for
services at our junction. We have done this in the past by
asking drivers to sign a petition but this time we need a
letter from companies stating what it will mean for their
business if yet another transport café closes.”
Andrew asks support letters to be sent to the chief
planning officer at the district council in Lodge Road,
Daventry.
Felixstowe trucker Mike Jarmin is among those
backing the café’s planning appeal.
He says it should stay open because it’s the only café
trading between Cannock and Bury St Edmunds. Mike
says in his support letter: “The Portly Ford café offers a
driver a basic good deal, cheap and quiet parking off the
highway, very good food at affordable prices.
“I am sure the toilet and shower facilities will be
better should the business become a permanent site.”
truckyboy:
The next nearest is in the tank cleaning wash (sets) which is in chequers lane
Bob, Do you mean the cafe run by Elvis? because apparently he has done a runner. No one seems to seem to know where or why he has gone.
Problem with Sets is a distinct lack of parking at busy times
Does anyone know what happened to Jan and Brian? Been trying to find them for a while anyone have any clues please? They were the owners of George’s diner.
Here’s me thinking this thread was going to be about TruckUK
The plot thickens beechy.