at least he answerd, most wouldnt
As someone that has never used this facility and dont think I will be due to not being that way very often, the figures are amazing.
The parking is big enough for 50 HGV’s at £20 per night. Reduce this by £7.35 (cost of a hot meal and 2 teas) makes it £12.65 per night.
Now start doing the figures for the week (based on 4 nights a week), a month and a year.
Now work it out on 25 vechiles per night. After the first year of business I do hope that the prices will come down drastically as the initial outlay would have been paid off.
I have nothing against people making money but this seems to be rather exuberant.
Wow, wish I could be on that sort of money.
Well, I wouldn’t want to be 
Taking it on your figure of 25 vehicles per night for 4 nights a week, then take off the business rates, it leaves £592 per week to pay electricity, wages for staff, and general maintenence and wear & tear.
The grass always looks greener on the other side just as it’s easier to complain anonymously from behind a keyboard than it is to demand your money back for a bad meal ( that stops the chef spitting in it) while you’re actually there face to face.
As an example I was sat in Newark lorry park cafe one night minding my own business when a lorry driver came and sat at the table. He promptly started to complain about his meal to me, and never let up.
I kept telling him to take it back up to the counter and tell them but no chance 
So when one of the staff came past I told her that this bloke wasn’t happy with his meal.
What did he do?
Insisted I must have misunderstood and there was nothing wrong with it at all.
He’s the sort of bloke who’s been complaining on here, I bet.
Pat
ROG:
‘…not many give compliments…’
Guilty - so here’s a post on the ‘Red Lodge’ thread to make amends:
Happy Keith:
'…Seeing as its winter and good news is currently scarce, I’ve gotta big-up the A11 Red Lodge recently doing me a handsome bowl of fruit crumble with custard for £2 - with other puddin’s on offer.Since I only do forty-fives and I’m a bit thrifty/tight/health conscious & don’t ‘eat-out’ much, I had my butties in the office for ‘mains’, nipped in for a brew and jolly well treated myself to a bit o’ duff. I’ll save having a main there for my lad’s 21st, an anniversary, the woman’s birthday or something so am currently unable to comment on them.
I told the lovely behind the counter how chuffed I was too…’
Meanwhile:
Mr B:
‘…its not that bad apart from all the essex girls that work there!..’
Steady, my Ma’s from Essex 
dave cordell:
Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner I was serving a customer.Thought I would make a reply to the issues your members have raised. Before I start we accept we will never please every customer that comes to this truckstop, but we still will try our best.
As with everything in life it costs money, the four year battle with EFDC cost a bundle of money, but it gave the go ahead for the truckstop to start its improvements these improvements take time and money. The main entrance was paid for by us as well as the main road out the front, this was obviously very expensive especially when the council wanted the total cost of the job paid for up front as well as the same amount again as a holding deposit. The holding deposit we have not had returned. This was part of the planning conditions, the funds used for this were going to be used for the resurface of the site but the planning was the priority.
We are planning to commence with the resurface works this summer hopefully if they release our cash, but until then we have had to make do. Even temporary repairs did not work due to the bad weather we have had.
As for the food we are regularly looking at any better products that become available.
As for poor food quality and staff attitudes considering we only advertise in truckstop news, we don’t even have a sign at the entrance probably 80% of our trade is return trade which does not add up if we are providing poor quality food and service.
Obviously we have a bad day every so often ( over 5 years its been every time ROB K AND COFFEEHOLIC come in for something to eat), apparently we are to expensive. 2 bacon 1 sausage beans 1egg 2 toast/bread & butter 1tea/coffee £3.95.
Lamb shank (large) roast potatoes veg gravy £5.95
Tea 70p coffee 80p
Overnight parking £20.00 includes any meal 2 teas showers.
Day light robbery (NOT)
As for ROB K’s comment on getting a plot of land and creaming £20.00 of the trucking scum (his words not mine), I would like to point out that you can’t just get a plot of land you have to buy it, once its bought you have to get planning permission, while owning the site you pay rates (£35.000.00 per annum), the £20.00 we charge includes a meal so your provided with a building you can sit and eat and it can be cooked in by staff, all costing money. So if you sit and do the maths its not as cut and dry as Rob K thinks (obviously you don’t need any qualifications to be a senior member).
No one mentioned the new building, fully tiled wet room showers and toilets.
The bar upstairs (opening in a week or two), the new wider entrance.
Like I said in the past all to willing to slag things off but never give praise.
If there is a problem with the food say so there and then so it can be dealt with.
I cannot understand why you would pay for something your not happy with and say nothing then spend time and effort hiding behind your computer slating it (ITS NOT BIG AND ITS NOT CLEVER) and sets a bad image for the big burly lorry driver. Bet you can’t even eat a whole yorkie bar!!
Message to Bloodoodle - Thanks for all your help, just to let you know we did get the drinks licence in the end.
I can’t even be bothered putting any effort into a response here as you’re clearly not interested in what anyone has to say. Suffice to say that your singling out of Neil’s and my own comments as if we are the only 2 people that are not happy with the place is pretty pathetic. Glancing over the entire thread I don’t see anyone that has a good word to say about the place. That alone should tell you where you’re at, but in case you’re struggling to work it out I’ll give you a hand : you haven’t got a clue how to run a business and your food and service is abysmal. The only improvement you can make is either shutting the place down or flogging it to someone that knows how to run a business.
dave cordell:
the £20.00 we charge includes a meal so your provided with a building you can sit and eat and it can be cooked in by staff, all costing money. So if you sit and do the maths its not as cut and dry as Rob K thinks
Out of curiosity: so how it works in another countries (to do not look to far from my yard - in Poland)? Last time I was there the land was costing money, the taxes were hight, you had to pay your bills and people weren’t willing to work for free as well… So if we assume that these costs are X time lower, you could expect X time lower charge for parking - yet on most places (especially as small as yours) you park for free and even if you have to pay for shower, meal and toilet it’s still relatively cheaper than what the UK Truckstops charge us…
And I think in France, Germany and other European countries the costs will be higher than in Poland and still the parking is cheaper?
I am not criticizing your post, I am just curious how it works? I know that Britain is often a strange country, you drive on the wrong side of the road and use some barbaric units but as far as I am concerned we share the same math 
But what you must remember Orys (and some others) is that anyone is at liberty to open Junction 25 truckstop and cream off this bloke’s trade.
44 Tonne Ton:
Never having done continental myself I’ll ask you experienced blokes. Why do you think there’s such a difference in standards? Taking Germany as an example, are they state subsidised or totally free market?
Basically, the standard of living in Germany is much higher than in the UK, so consequently the German idea of acceptable standards is also a lot higher than in the UK.
Sticking a few plastic chairs and formica tables into a portakabin or pre-war ruin that would normally not be recognised as fit for human habitation, surrounding it with a potholed ridden swamp and having some fat old boiler called Lil dishing up plates o’grease and stewed tea, would certainly not cut it over here.
Back in the good old days (before the Wall came down), there were maybe 15-20 Autohöfe (Truck Stops) in the whole of West Germany.
Geiselwind, Haiger, Diemelstadt, Guxhagen, Herz’l (Bruchsal) and Nachtweide in Ludwigshafen (where the “entertainment” was usually provided by ■■■■■■ up Brits, mostly from Norman Lewis ), to name a few.
These places offered standard German fare, fuel and sanitary facilities and were always well frequented by the trucking fraternity.
Probably around 20 years ago, private enterprise obviously decided that, judging by the popularity of the existing Autohöfe, there was money to be made by expanding the network.
Since then, the new generation of Truck Stops has mushroomed all over Germany, run by a number of private companies: SVG, Maxi, Euro Rastpark, 24 Autohof, etc.
The idea is basically the same across the whole network:
A purpose built site located next to an autobahn exit, 24/7 operation, with fuel at slightly less than autobahn prices, a large shop, restaurant, toilets, showers, washing machines, conference facilities, gaming area, sometimes even sauna and swimming facilities!
Each site has a large hard standing parking area for trucks, cars and coaches.
As has often been mentioned on this forum, parking usually costs around 10€ for a truck but this charge will be deducted from your bill in the restaurant or shop.
This is done in order to deter the trailer box caterers from clogging up the parking area.
These days the Autohof is not just reserved for the hairy arsed trucker.
The high standard of food and service on offer has lead to the attraction of a wide ranging clientele: families, reps, coach parties, etc.
The ever ongoing expansion of the Autohof network just underlines the fact that it is a sound financial proposition to provide good quality, affordable facilities adjacent to the Autobahn as an alternative to the standard Autobahn service areas.
Personally, I think that hell would freeze over before anything approaching this standard would ever appear in the UK.
So Joe Public will continue to “enjoy” his McDog burger at a rip off MSA, whilst the lowly trucker wades across a potholed ridden parking area in his rigger boots to be offered yesterday’s reheated leftovers before paying £20 for the privilege to park.
Who actually did win the war?
Do those truckstops in the rest of the EU get any Government/local finance or assistance with the land purchase/rent?
Inselaffe:
Nachtweide in Ludwigshafen (where the “entertainment” was usually provided by ■■■■■■ up Brits, mostly from Norman Lewis
pmsl at that one Inselaffe 
Wheelnut will be choking on his bedtime Horlicks as he reads that. 
Stand by yer bed ready for his riposte.
Inselaffe:
Sticking a few plastic chairs and formica tables into a portakabin or pre-war ruin that would normally not be recognised as fit for human habitation, surrounding it with a potholed ridden swamp and having some fat old boiler called Lil dishing up plates o’grease and stewed tea, would certainly not cut it over here.
Funny, really funny . . . . . but true!
Inselaffe:
These days the Autohof is not just reserved for the hairy arsed trucker.
The high standard of food and service on offer has lead to the attraction of a wide ranging clientele: families, reps, coach parties, etc.
Been there, done that! A few times we’d go for Sunday lunch at the Paderborn Autohof and both that and the Bonnie’s Diner that jumped on the bandwagon, would be full as. Not truckers, mostly families.
Inselaffe:
Personally, I think that hell would freeze over before anything approaching this standard would ever appear in the UK.
So Joe Public will continue to “enjoy” his McDog burger at a rip off MSA, whilst the lowly trucker wades across a potholed ridden parking area in his rigger boots to be offered yesterday’s reheated leftovers before paying £20 for the privilege to park.
Agreed.
Inselaffe:
Who actually did win the war?
A question I often asked myself during the 8 years that we lived in Germany.
Inselaffe:
44 Tonne Ton:
Never having done continental myself I’ll ask you experienced blokes. Why do you think there’s such a difference in standards? Taking Germany as an example, are they state subsidised or totally free market?Basically, the standard of living in Germany is much higher than in the UK, so consequently the German idea of acceptable standards is also a lot higher than in the UK.
Sticking a few plastic chairs and formica tables into a portakabin or pre-war ruin that would normally not be recognised as fit for human habitation, surrounding it with a potholed ridden swamp and having some fat old boiler called Lil dishing up plates o’grease and stewed tea, would certainly not cut it over here.
Back in the good old days (before the Wall came down), there were maybe 15-20 Autohöfe (Truck Stops) in the whole of West Germany.
Geiselwind, Haiger, Diemelstadt, Guxhagen, Herz’l (Bruchsal) and Nachtweide in Ludwigshafen (where the “entertainment” was usually provided by ■■■■■■ up Brits, mostly from Norman Lewis
These places offered standard German fare, fuel and sanitary facilities and were always well frequented by the trucking fraternity.Probably around 20 years ago, private enterprise obviously decided that, judging by the popularity of the existing Autohöfe, there was money to be made by expanding the network.
Since then, the new generation of Truck Stops has mushroomed all over Germany, run by a number of private companies: SVG, Maxi, Euro Rastpark, 24 Autohof, etc.The idea is basically the same across the whole network:
A purpose built site located next to an autobahn exit, 24/7 operation, with fuel at slightly less than autobahn prices, a large shop, restaurant, toilets, showers, washing machines, conference facilities, gaming area, sometimes even sauna and swimming facilities!Each site has a large hard standing parking area for trucks, cars and coaches.
As has often been mentioned on this forum, parking usually costs around 10€ for a truck but this charge will be deducted from your bill in the restaurant or shop.
This is done in order to deter the trailer box caterers from clogging up the parking area.These days the Autohof is not just reserved for the hairy arsed trucker.
The high standard of food and service on offer has lead to the attraction of a wide ranging clientele: families, reps, coach parties, etc.The ever ongoing expansion of the Autohof network just underlines the fact that it is a sound financial proposition to provide good quality, affordable facilities adjacent to the Autobahn as an alternative to the standard Autobahn service areas.
Personally, I think that hell would freeze over before anything approaching this standard would ever appear in the UK.
So Joe Public will continue to “enjoy” his McDog burger at a rip off MSA, whilst the lowly trucker wades across a potholed ridden parking area in his rigger boots to be offered yesterday’s reheated leftovers before paying £20 for the privilege to park.Who actually did win the war?
You’ve got exactly the same thing in the USA, except there’s no charge for parking, they’re full of Joe Public at the weekends & on holidays, but even then the truck driver has prority, as the picture below says,
That’s how it should be
dave cordell:
Overnight parking £20.00 includes any meal 2 teas showers.
Day light robbery (NOT)
I’ve no idea wether its daylight robbery or not but it is the most expensive truckstop i know, anyone know any more expensive?
And as for 80% being repeat buisness, could you tell us their alternatives?
dave cordell:
Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner I was serving a customer.
Unfortunately I don’t think Humorous Comments go anyway near apologising to customers when it comes to a “Public Slagging Off of your business” Perhaps a Genuine apology would of meant so much more.
dave cordell:
Thought I would make a reply to the issues your members have raised. Before I start we accept we will never please every customer that comes to this truckstop, but we still will try our best.
Sadly that always has and always will be a problem, but never forget, the customer is always right even when they are wrong
dave cordell:
As with everything in life it costs money, the four year battle with EFDC cost a bundle of money, but it gave the go ahead for the truckstop to start its improvements these improvements take time and money.
And obviously to ensure it is worthwhile investing in a business, you should be ensuring you keep the existing passing trade along with attracting new passing trade as well, sadly with threads like this on public forums aimed at your main customers it does not do you any favours, yet going by your reply you seem to have forgotten this?
dave cordell:
The main entrance was paid for by us as well as the main road out the front, this was obviously very expensive especially when the council wanted the total cost of the job paid for up front as well as the same amount again as a holding deposit.
Like all businesses, you need working capital, if you don’t have the capital to get you started then your doomed to fail from the onset.
dave cordell:
The holding deposit we have not had returned.
And a good lawyer would of ensured that the council were made to pay interest on the funds whilst the council held the money, in fact I would go as far to say a good lawyer would of ensured that only the money for the works should be paid in full before work commenced, it’s called public works, the council gives a total amount it will cost for their labour and materials etc and invoice you for it, you pay then they do the work, its public tender, once they have given you a price they are contracted to accept that as the final price they cannot later decide to add a couple of grand because their public works officer forgot something.
Get your solicitor to notify the council that you want interest on the money they are holding
dave cordell:
This was part of the planning conditions, the funds used for this were going to be used for the resurface of the site but the planning was the priority.
So are there no Road Laying companies in Essex? You know the ones where they use the Road Planer to lift old tarmac, you’ll find they are always looking for someone to take the chippings for the cost of fuel when working in your area, it saves them having to pay the landfill tax, hire a JCB for a day and get the chippings spread out. Simples
dave cordell:
We are planning to commence with the resurface works this summer hopefully if they release our cash, but until then we have had to make do. Even temporary repairs did not work due to the bad weather we have had.
As I said above, use proper materials and you’ll be surprised at what can be done cheaply.
dave cordell:
As for the food we are regularly looking at any better products that become available.
It’s quite simple, to obtain decent food to sell, use decent suppliers who offer quality bacon, sausage etc etc etc instead of low quality low price stuff.
dave cordell:
As for poor food quality and staff attitudes considering we only advertise in truckstop news, we don’t even have a sign at the entrance probably 80% of our trade is return trade which does not add up if we are providing poor quality food and service.
Obviously we have a bad day every so often ( over 5 years its been every time ROB K AND COFFEEHOLIC come in for something to eat), apparently we are to expensive.
I gave up driving distance 10 years ago, I was a regular around Epping area, I agreed that there was insufficient parking other than Loughton Lorry park which has long gone, it’s no good patting yourself on the back saying oh well we cant be that bad because most of our business is repeat trade, you have to take into account how many of your repeat customers have no option but to use your facilities therefore really they are left with no choice.
dave cordell:
2 bacon 1 sausage beans 1egg 2 toast/bread & butter 1tea/coffee £3.95.
Lamb shank (large) roast potatoes veg gravy £5.95
Tea 70p coffee 80p
And be fair, The profit Margin is what? 150%
As for Tea 70p that’s a prime example 1p for the Tea Bag 3p for milk and 64p for Hot Water ?
Obviously a profit needs to be made but, if the staff cannot be sociable, cannot serve a breakfast in 10 minutes and cannot adhere to the simplest of Hygiene it says a lot for the business.
dave cordell:
Overnight parking £20.00 includes any meal 2 teas showers.
Day light robbery (NOT)
Actually I would say it is over priced, Bearing in mind the meal & teas would cost less than a Tenner and the shower less than £1.00
But hey, as I’ve said, I’m pleased I don’t drive for a living now.
dave cordell:
As for ROB K’s comment on getting a plot of land and creaming £20.00 of the trucking scum (his words not mine), I would like to point out that you can’t just get a plot of land you have to buy it, once its bought you have to get planning permission, while owning the site you pay rates (£35.000.00 per annum), the £20.00 we charge includes a meal so your provided with a building you can sit and eat and it can be cooked in by staff, all costing money. So if you sit and do the maths its not as cut and dry as Rob K thinks (obviously you don’t need any qualifications to be a senior member).
But Dave you have not addressed the problems that have generated the biggest complaints, the length of time it takes for a meal to be served, the fact that the staff are miserable and the fact that the food is not that good (Probably because of the time spent serving it up)
dave cordell:
No one mentioned the new building, fully tiled wet room showers and toilets.
Ahh well there you go then, see, truck drivers don’t whinge about everything contrary to popular beliefs
dave cordell:
The bar upstairs (opening in a week or two), the new wider entrance.
But whats the point of a bar if the cafe closes at 8.30pm and the staff are not even prepared to sell a Mars Bar? are you expecting drivers to drink alcohol on an empty stomache
If you plan on having the cafe open later you have missed a great opportunity of publicising it
dave cordell:
Like I said in the past all to willing to slag things off but never give praise.
Sorry mate but thats a fact of live you need to learn to live with, however, bear in mind that 1 driver visiting your place can go to another cafe and tell another driver of his experiences at Jct 26 then those 2 drivers go to a different cafe, there’s now 4 drivers telling the tale, then the next cafe its 8 drivers etc etc etc, you’ll find it works for both good and bad
dave cordell:
If there is a problem with the food say so there and then so it can be dealt with.
dave cordell:
I cannot understand why you would pay for something your not happy with and say nothing then spend time and effort hiding behind your computer slating it (ITS NOT BIG AND ITS NOT CLEVER) and sets a bad image for the big burly lorry driver. Bet you can’t even eat a whole yorkie bar!!
Message to Bloodoodle - Thanks for all your help, just to let you know we did get the drinks licence in the end.
Probably because left with no option you have to eat it, after all, calling in at a chippy aint that easy unless you go into Epping itself (The first one on the left heading to Harlow was always my favourite)
Harry Monk:
But what you must remember Orys (and some others) is that anyone is at liberty to open Junction 25 truckstop and cream off this bloke’s trade.
Off course I know that. So as there is so many complaints about cosmic prices and low standards of service, why noone did it? There has to be some factor in this maths provided by the Junction 26 guy, and it was a honest question of mine: why it’s possible to do cheap truckstops of decent standards everywhere but in UK?
ROG:
Do those truckstops in the rest of the EU get any Government/local finance or assistance with the land purchase/rent?
Not in Poland, although you can get some European Union grants for new businesses (but you can have them in UK as well).
Mike-C:
dave cordell:
Overnight parking £20.00 includes any meal 2 teas showers.
Day light robbery (NOT)I’ve no idea wether its daylight robbery or not but it is the most expensive truckstop i know, anyone know any more expensive?
South Mimms is more expensive.
orys:
Harry Monk:
But what you must remember Orys (and some others) is that anyone is at liberty to open Junction 25 truckstop and cream off this bloke’s trade.Off course I know that. So as there is so many complaints about cosmic prices and low standards of service, why noone did it? There has to be some factor in this maths provided by the Junction 26 guy, and it was a honest question of mine: why it’s possible to do cheap truckstops of decent standards everywhere but in UK?
In fairness, land is very expensive in the UK, and business rates are £35,000 per year, a figure I have no reason to disbelieve as I know people who have to pay business rates.
Even for hot water, you have to pay 3-4 times as much as a domestic user.
Probably the owner’s biggest mistake is to try to make savings by buying the cheapest possible ingredients and employing Minimum Wage staff.
As I said, I’ve never stopped there, but I will do a “blind shopper” test this week and take some surreptitious photos and leave my feedback.
Harry Monk:
Mike-C:
dave cordell:
Overnight parking £20.00 includes any meal 2 teas showers.
Day light robbery (NOT)I’ve no idea wether its daylight robbery or not but it is the most expensive truckstop i know, anyone know any more expensive?
South Mimms is more expensive.
So is Thurrock services more expensive, and South Mimms is a MSA, i’m talking about ‘truckstops’ not services.
Mike-C:
So is Thurrock services more expensive, and South Mimms is a MSA, i’m talking about ‘truckstops’ not services.
I suppose it depends on geographical location, any land adjacent to the M25 is bound to cost more to operate than something in, say, Shropshire.