Just seen they’re advertising for class 1 drivers(through an agency) with immediate start.
Anyone got any info on them, I saw the topic on them from a year or so ago I was wondering if things had changed much and if anyone’s got any idea on the rates as it just says negotiable on the Ad
At least ten class 1 drivers have left recently, make of that what you will!
It was a pretty decent job, contracted 9.8 hours a day until 13/14/15 hour days were becoming the norm rather than now and again. Not what many of us wanted as we were on days.
The transport manager recently left, was a nice guy but wasn’t helped much by the planners, the old drivers v planners battle seems to be in full swing. Not too sure if they’ve managed to find anyone to take over yet.
The work ‘can’ be pretty good, loads of Waitrose stores in the South East and inside London, also cash and carries inside London. It’s the back loads that can mess you about…say you’ve just done ten hours and they then want you to sit in Tilda rice to be loaded, waits of over four hours are expected.
You do normally get left alone during your run with maybe an odd call asking for times in and out of certain places.
As long as you’re happy to do long hours and put up with some seemingly ridiculous planning then you’ll be fine!
I have worked via agency for them and it is not one of my preferred options. I found that the planners’ attitude stank. Waitrose store deliveries would give only the high street address. Waitrose themselves provide very detailed and accurate maps to arrive at the back door entrance. Lenham refuse point blank to provide any kind of printed help which leaves you guessing where you are meant to be and how to turn round. Their sole help is ‘ask another driver’. Which four or five hours later at the fifth delivery doesn’t immediately ring a bell (no pun intended).
This is a shame because it is messing up what could be a good job. As said also the backloads don’t help. Found Burton’s Biscuits eventually, but since no roadworthy (third party)trailer available came back empty.
andi_cardiff:
At least ten class 1 drivers have left recently, make of that what you will!It was a pretty decent job, contracted 9.8 hours a day until 13/14/15 hour days were becoming the norm rather than now and again. Not what many of us wanted as we were on days.
The transport manager recently left, was a nice guy but wasn’t helped much by the planners, the old drivers v planners battle seems to be in full swing. Not too sure if they’ve managed to find anyone to take over yet.
The work ‘can’ be pretty good, loads of Waitrose stores in the South East and inside London, also cash and carries inside London. It’s the back loads that can mess you about…say you’ve just done ten hours and they then want you to sit in Tilda rice to be loaded, waits of over four hours are expected.
You do normally get left alone during your run with maybe an odd call asking for times in and out of certain places.
Yes, if you are on low day rate, you don’t want to be finishing at anti-social hours - ever. 6pm is the latest I want to be finishing on “day rate” in an ideal world. I also like to get a night rate upgrade if I finish later than midnight as well. “Defined” shifts are always going to be better when doing agency work. Being someone who doesn’t mind 15 hour shifts, I will point out that they have to have the right start time for them to work for me. around 4pm start is best, as I’m home in time for breakfast, school run, and I miss the morning traffic. Starting that late means I can drop the family off from school on the way into work as well, providing it’s local which Lenham storage for me is not. I have not worked there on agency for more than a decade, but I understand they’ve cleaned up their act now, and it’s a better deal than it used to be.
As long as you’re happy to do long hours and put up with some seemingly ridiculous planning then you’ll be fine!
You really don’t want to be working 12-15 hours on daytime rate - starting anytime between 10am and 17:45pm would have me on daytime rate right through, despite finishing at say, 1am. This would make Lehnam Storage in line with Fowler Welch in that the agencies on a “right through rate” get 15 hours all the time, and those who get “overtime after 8 hours” get 9 hours which after an hour’s break is taken off is 8 hours flat - no overtime - ever.
Avoid. If they’re not offering full time jobs over full time on agency (defeats the object being on agency imho) then they can safely be bypassed on the way to a more progressive, newer firm that wants to mop up top drivers now whilst they are still going cheap. 
Ive worked at lenham a few times and its way down past the bottom of my list for work the office staff dont give a stuff about drivers hours etc rescues are very common where the driver has done his full hours and has to drive himself back in a van. Even to the point of a driver being woke up half way through a forced out of hours night out. With them saying we need the truck back so were going to come and get you, which they had previously refused as south mimms was to far for a rescue!!. If you like overcrowded dangerous yards, waiting hours for your load to be ready,being gived totally unrealistic jobs,being expected to use your phone for their company business,and six pathetic burger bar type chairs for dozens of drivers then lenham is the place for you.
jammbo:
Ive worked at lenham a few times and its way down past the bottom of my list for work the office staff dont give a stuff about drivers hours etc rescues are very common where the driver has done his full hours and has to drive himself back in a van. Even to the point of a driver being woke up half way through a forced out of hours night out. With them saying we need the truck back so were going to come and get you, which they had previously refused as south mimms was to far for a rescue!!. If you like overcrowded dangerous yards, waiting hours for your load to be ready,being gived totally unrealistic jobs,being expected to use your phone for their company business,and six pathetic burger bar type chairs for dozens of drivers then lenham is the place for you.
That’s not true…there’s eight chairs there now!!!
I used to love delivering to them in the early 90’s, I once stood on the dock and there had been an hour wait to unload, some guy walked in with a box and asked for a signature, the guy on the dock told him to go back to his lorry and wait in line. “But it’s only a box” said the driver.
“If every driver who only had 1 or 2 boxes walked in here and jumped the queue I’d bee here all day unloading the poor guys waiting to unload full trailers” was the reply he got … and well said.
