dont know if its of any interest to anybody.just been on our local news that the old birtley truckstop has been approved planning permission by gateshead council for arnold clark automobiles to build a service and garage complex on the site.
so,the north east needs to definetley look elsewhere now for a much needed proper truckstop.again.
As a Gateshead lad myself,although born in Barley Mow,why doesn’t this surprise me?
And as we’ve now lost the Little Bistro,wouldn’t you think that the owners of Barton,would realise this would be a good time to develop the site they already have?
Ken.
i passed there on friday and all the building have been demolished, why did it shut down anyway? i only stopped there once and the next time i was passing it was gone, i don’t think it was personal
Quinny:
And as we’ve now lost the Little Bistro,wouldn’t you think that the owners of Barton,would realise this would be a good time to develop the site they already have?Ken.
Don’t hold your breath, Ken.
The best way to develop that place would be to drop a bomb on it 
Mr B:
i passed there on friday and all the building have been demolished, why did it shut down anyway? i only stopped there once and the next time i was passing it was gone, i don’t think it was personal
not sure why it closed down,cos it was always busy,especially on a night time,i guess niteowl,the previous owners,werent making enough money?.i honestly dont know,i did hear off some people that worked their,it was down to the landlord(s),selling off the land it was rented on.
on a whole,it wasnt too bad of a place to stop,i have been to worse hovels.
so,as a proud geordiebloke,i am deeply ashamed,that when my fellow truckers are en route to or through our great region,that all we have to offer our “backbone of britain” workers is the disgusting quernhow,or even more spectacular barton,then nothing,until further north you reach the purdy"you need to remorgatge to eat here" lodge.
it seriously isnt funny any more.
p.s.,rest assured though,that our council would rather spend millions on a rusting eyesore mounted on a hill,than invest in visitors to our region in the form of proper facilities!.
I used to like stopping there myself. 
the servives at leeming bar are now encouraging truckers to park there £10 plus meal voucher but there is a desperate need of a proper place near geordie land
buck73:
rest assured though,that our council would rather spend millions on a rusting eyesore mounted on a hill,than invest in visitors to our region in the form of proper facilities!.
And worse of all,it was built down the road by the monkey hangers. 
We couldn’t have built it locally as even the steelworks closed down about 30 years ago.
Ken.
Living at the end of the M194 Whitemare Pool, we all got a leaflet from the Department of Transport last week informing us of a public showing of the new plans for Testos Roundabout for our objections / comments.
The proposed plan put forward is for the roundabout to have a fly over built over it so the A19 avoids the roundabout, the pub in Boldon Colliery has the plans on display at the moment.
I keep in touch with Faber Maunsell who are in charge of the Transport side of things for the North East councils, they have said that it’s planned to open a Council Truckstop near to the Testos Roundabout, although no opening dates or exact location has been given and the plans on display wont be put into action until around 2012, which basically falls in with the opening of the 2nd Tyne Tunnel on the A19. The plans dont show any proposed Truckstop so its still only guesswork as to where it will be.
All the local councils accept there is a shortage of HGV Parking but there’s not a lot they can do about it at the minute, so they say.
buck73:
Mr B:
i passed there on friday and all the building have been demolished, why did it shut down anyway? i only stopped there once and the next time i was passing it was gone, i don’t think it was personalnot sure why it closed down,cos it was always busy,especially on a night time,i guess niteowl,the previous owners,werent making enough money?.i honestly dont know,i did hear off some people that worked their,it was down to the landlord(s),selling off the land it was rented on.
on a whole,it wasnt too bad of a place to stop,i have been to worse hovels.
so,as a proud geordiebloke,i am deeply ashamed,that when my fellow truckers are en route to or through our great region,that all we have to offer our “backbone of britain” workers is the disgusting quernhow,or even more spectacular barton,then nothing,until further north you reach the purdy"you need to remorgatge to eat here" lodge.
it seriously isnt funny any more.
p.s.,rest assured though,that our council would rather spend millions on a rusting eyesore mounted on a hill,than invest in visitors to our region in the form of proper facilities!.
It probably closed because the land was worth more for developemnt than it was as a truckstop. This is the major problem getting truckstops in the UK any land that could be used is worth more as industrial land and other places are affected by NIMBY’s who don’t want trucks stopping near them.
That answer is laws that requires truck parking facilities on industrial estates.
Funny how there is never any money to build something like a truckstop, or even a lit hardstanding which we could use, but by law the councils are required, and conform to, providing a site for travellers, complete with runnning water, waste facilities and electricity. We obviously don’t travel enough!
Birtley used to be ok but nobody took charge of the layout or parking lines so they could easily have accommodated more ooutfits every night and possibly made more money.
Good point about the trading estates, also the huge spaces at retail parks, which are empty at night, could be utilised. There used to be a car park in Wolverhampton which offcially became a truck park from 6 at night unti 6 am.This could be done anywhere, but we would have to help ourselves and mention to any driver making a mess that this is what gets us chucked out of parking spots
bigdennis:
Funny how there is never any money to build something like a truckstop, or even a lit hardstanding which we could use, but by law the councils are required, and conform to, providing a site for travellers, complete with runnning water, waste facilities and electricity. We obviously don’t travel enough!
Birtley used to be ok but nobody took charge of the layout or parking lines so they could easily have accommodated more ooutfits every night and possibly made more money.Good point about the trading estates, also the huge spaces at retail parks, which are empty at night, could be utilised. There used to be a car park in Wolverhampton which offcially became a truck park from 6 at night unti 6 am.This could be done anywhere, but we would have to help ourselves and mention to any driver making a mess that this is what gets us chucked out of parking spots
All the councils have to do is have a nominated industrial estate that is patroled during the night. If there was enough demand private enterprise would supply facilities for drivers either transport cafe or truck friendly pub.
Quinny:
As a Gateshead lad myself,although born in Barley Mow,why doesn’t this surprise me?And as we’ve now lost the Little Bistro,wouldn’t you think that the owners of Barton,would realise this would be a good time to develop the site they already have?
Ken.
When did the bistro shut ken? I used to like it in there.
March 20th iirc.
The access road is now coned off.
Ken.
What was the name of the pub that was also a truckstop? 
same side of road but cannot remember whether it was North or South of the Little Bistro.