Hello again, thought it may be worthwhile reissuing this post as we have less than a month to go. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi all, we at Junction 26 Truck Stop on the M25 ( J26London.co.uk) are trying to get a Premises Licence so that you can have a beer with your meal. You would think this would be easy given it is common practice across the UK and Europe. Well it is not believe me. Can you help us by letting us know your thoughts and experiences, other Truck Stops where you can get a beer in the UK and anything that would help us build up a case to take to the Magistrates Court. We failed to get approval at the local District Council. Many thanks.
PS. I have discussed this message with Rikki.
I cannot see why there is any objection - do they expect professional drivers to have a skinful, jump in the cab and drive off !!!
I cannot see how a truckstop having a licence would affect other local pubs etc because it has selective captive clients.
problem is you have to take the local licensing officer out to lunch and and accidentally drop a little brown envelope on his lap!!
i really dont see the problem myself but if your the guy in the office this suggestion would probably have alarm bells ringing “beers and drivers” i think if you got apart of the truckstop turned into resturant then am sure they would give it to you there is different classes of license they could sell beer/wine to eating customers to be consumed in the resturant.
I cannot think of many truckstops that are NOT licenced to serve alcohol, all the major ones have a bar or at least the facility to buy a drink with your meal. If there was a pub next door I could understand the objections!
Junction29(M1) has a bar upstairs with entertainment some nights. Lymm, Rugby, Orwell Crossing all did have bars before I retired and I’m sure many motorway service areas offer wine and beer. I’m not a drinker but I do enjoy a glass of wine with my meals and the odd social pint with the lads…
I can’t imagine why there’d be able a problem with a truckstop having a licence. I’ve stopped at your place on many occasions and if I’ve wanted a beer its meant I’ve had to walk on unlit roads to the nearest pub (where the car park as been full) before walking back on the dark. A lack of licence hasn’t stopped me from drinking and neither has the proximity to a pub caused me to behave anti socially.
If youths can drink to excess in town centers proffessional drivers should be able to have a beer with their tea after a hard days work.
Martin:
I cannot think of many truckstops that are NOT licenced to serve alcohol, all the major ones have a bar or at least the facility to buy a drink with your meal. If there was a pub next door I could understand the objections!
Junction29(M1) has a bar upstairs with entertainment some nights. Lymm, Rugby, Orwell Crossing all did have bars before I retired and I’m sure many motorway service areas offer wine and beer. I’m not a drinker but I do enjoy a glass of wine with my meals and the odd social pint with the lads…
Even Stibbington has a bar and even more surprisingly MOTO does cans at Barton Park. Cannot see a problem as long as Timmy Trucker is not pulling in for a snifter on his way to Waltham Point.
hazard a guess that may be the local residents when they see one has been applied for they object because us professional drivers known in their NIMBY language as scums of the earth say that the professional drivers will then be joining the m25 three sheets to the wind and we’ll all go on wild joyrides through the peacfull villages at 2am in the morning swerving across the front gardens and knocking over their garden knomes
may be they could get a conditional licence that the bar can only serve volvo drivers who have Alcolock fitted
They serve beer at all Mcdonalds outlets in europe,not to mention the large jugs flowing at all Rouitiers and trucks stops on the continent.With all the red wine the French drivers drink.Im curious to know what a foreign driver thinks when he wants a drink after a long day has finished.When he/she visits the UK.
toby1234abc:
They serve beer at all Mcdonalds outlets in europe,not to mention the large jugs flowing at all Rouitiers and trucks stops on the continent.With all the red wine the French drivers drink.Im curious to know what a foreign driver thinks when he wants a drink after a long day has finished.When he/she visits the UK.
simples, they take a beer out of the onboard fridge
Martin:
Junction29(M1) has a bar upstairs with entertainment some nights. Lymm, Rugby, Orwell Crossing all did have bars …
Not forgetting to mention Godmanchester!!! I’ve seen some drivers stagger out of there in a right state; I don’t know if they were intoxicated by alcohol or ■■■■!!
I’m aware that there is a general rule that alcohol is a no no at MSA’s (i know we’re talking truckstops here), although in practice its actually a yes it ok. As others have mentioned, Rugby and Lymm are actually signed on the motorway network and indeed do serve alcohol. Teebay truckstop at juntion 38 M6 does indeed have a bar, as does the lodge at Teebay MSA northbound. The truckstop at about junction 34 M1 (Chesterfield i think) if not signed it is a recommended truckstop and its does have a bar.
Aside from MSA’s there are quite a number of ‘services’ that are signed along ‘A’ roads that indeed do sell alcohol retail.
Martin:
Junction29(M1) has a bar upstairs with entertainment some nights. Lymm, Rugby, Orwell Crossing all did have bars …
Not forgetting to mention Godmanchester!!! I’ve seen some drivers stagger out of there in a right state; I don’t know if they were intoxicated by alcohol or ■■■■!!
Martin:
Junction29(M1) has a bar upstairs with entertainment some nights. Lymm, Rugby, Orwell Crossing all did have bars …
Not forgetting to mention Godmanchester!!! I’ve seen some drivers stagger out of there in a right state; I don’t know if they were intoxicated by alcohol or ■■■■!!
It was the overbearing perfume especially if you could get close enough
Maybe one of the points mentioned above is a good reason to put forward i.e. drivers walking along the roads to find a pub. Explain to them that it’s better to provide the service on-site, thereby reducing the chances of pedestrian/vehicle incident/accident. If a driver fancies a pint at the end of his shift, he’ll have one whether he has to go looking for it or it is on his doorstep (i.e. in the truckstop).
Either way, good luck with it and if there’s owt else we can do to help, just ask.
Many thanks to you all for supporting us during this appeal period. Today we were granted the Licence and you can have some FREE beer with us as a way of saying thanks. See http://www.j26london.co.uk
say that the professional drivers will then be joining the m25 three sheets to the wind and we’ll all go on wild joyrides through the peacfull villages at 2am in the morning swerving across the front gardens and knocking over their garden knomes 
