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What do we think of this then?
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25826637 ]First Motoway Pub[/url]
At first I did a facepalm. But then, thinking about it, I reckon it's a good development. A nice step away from 'The Nanny State' and a bit of trust in the public to not go bananas. Pubs aren't [i]just[/i] for getting wasted in. Allegedly.
Except the nanny state-owned land on which service stations are built has a specific restriction against selling booze. As you can imagine, that's now "under review".
I suspect there may be a police squad car parked almost permanently near the exit slip road....
Speechless.
Can't really see how it's a good idea. Under what circumstances would you want to stop for a pint while on a motorway journey?
beer in all the German motorway services (and probably swiss and austrian too).
pretty sure most pubs are in the vicinity of a road, and many have car parks.
It's a food pub as well. I don't see the point personally in having just a pint as I'm driving etc.
I think (hope) it will be the odd pint with food, I personally could never see the attraction of stopping for a pint whilst on a long journey, I'd rather just get home then either go out or have one at home.
On the one hand, there's no real difference between this and what I do, which is to nip off the motorway to the nearest entry in the Good Pub Guide. Therein, a good lunch will be had, and whoever is driving will be on the soft drinks. That's the deal.
On the other hand, the sort of person who opts to dine at a motorway service station strikes me as the same sort of person who, on entering an airport, hits the bar hard regardless of the time of day. I suspect that there'll be people thinking, "Just one can't hurt can it?"
Well, it can. So don't.
Not approved.
It's an outrage! In the past anyone with passengers who wanted a pint while driving on a motorway has had to pull off at a slip road and drive a few hundred yards to a nearby pub. With this new development they can simply pull off at a slip road and drive a few hundred yards to a motorway service station instead. An outrage I tell you...
Well, I guess the fat profit margins are on the food anyway. But passengers may fancy a pint. Not a good idea though as they're gonna want to go for a piss ten miles down the road 😀
Speechless.
Why?
Why would law abiding drivers suddenly feel the need to booze while driving as a result of a pub opening? And if people already drink drive, I dare say there are thousands more pubs and off licences closer to them than this pub.
Your comment is indicative of just how engrained the nanny culture has become that people are opposed to this.
It's just a money making exercise. Those who want a pint will buy a pint, those who don't, won't.
was about to say that beer is available in German Autobahn services....
you can even buy beer at the petrol station. and then they came up with a rule that you could only buy beer after 8pm if you were in a car, not on foot. fortunately it has since been scrapped.
i know a lot of people here that have lost their licenses due to drink driving. still a bit of a problem here, IMO.
Don't see the problem- we drove back from the pyrenees last week and the guy who drove to calais then had most if a bottle of wine on the ferry /in the car as i drove the rest of the way home - why not ?
not every car only has a single person in it
So all the french services sell alcohol, whats all the fuss about just about all pubs in the UK are on roads, dual carriageways to narrow twisting roads.
Me I welcome it just as I did when M and S started opening outlets at service stations, more choice.
Not a good idea though as they're gonna want to go for a piss ten miles down the road
that's why german autobahn services have a bog operated by the same operator nationally, and give you a €0.50 voucher to spend (costs €0.70 now but used to be €0.50)
stop for a pee, get a voucher, spend it on a coffee, drive off, need to stop for a pee, get a voucher, spend it on a coffee, drive off,...
the Kneejerk in me says stupid idea but as has been pointed out no different to a pub in a more traditionla location.
I can see it kicking off on match day occasionaly
I agree with most of the above that it's just the UK catching up with the continent.
I use that services a lot so will pop in one day to see what it's like. If nothing else something that offers more than fast food and some comfier seats will be welcome.
Don't know what all the fuss is about. Everyone knows that when it comes to driving, like most things in life, you can do it far, far better after a few pints 🙄
the services already sell beer and wine to take out, whats the difference.
there is already a hotel onsite with no bar/restaurant so expect a lot of the business will come from that.
the drinks are suitably overpriced (for a wetherspoons), but the soft drinks, tea, coffee are substantially cheaper than the services next door.
Personally i would likely chose decent quality food with the chance of a pint for the passengers. Its a lot more appealing than stopping for a piss and a McDs
If nothing else something that offers more than fast food and some comfier seats will be welcome.
apparently a lake outside too, which could be nice. I assume the stentch of sewers has been fixed, the whole junction stunk for ages.
Personally i would likely chose decent quality food with the chance of a pint for the passengers. Its a lot more appealing than stopping for a piss and a McDs
It's a Wetherspoons. Hardly raises the food quality bar....
As others have said, its just like Europe. If people are going to drink and drive, there are much easier ways than going to a motorway pub.
on entering an airport, hits the bar hard regardless of the time of day
Steady on...that's me that is.
I understand that for an international stationery salesman, work is work. But for anyone going on holiday, part of the fun is hitting the bar for a pint at 6 in the morning. 😀
Wrong. You've had a long day, you're tired, what do you need? A pint.
And remember we're looking at a group of people so responsible they can text/phone whilst driving or try to grab cyclists handlebars on the way past. sure, most of them are responsible, but enough of them aren't
If people are going to drink and drive, there are much easier ways than going to a motorway pub.
Not if they're already on a long motorway trip there isn't
Not if they're already on a long motorway trip there isn't
Pulling off when near a town?
Stop it at the back....
Not if they're already on a long motorway trip there isn't
Yes there is.
If you're genuinely the type of person who wouldn't be able to complete a motorway journey without a couple of pints at some point along the way, then i'd suggest an easier way would be to stick two cans in your car before you set off.
I thought it was part of your cultural heritage, DD! 😀
Stop being so negative, this will be another successful step towards a 'cafe culture' in the UK, just like 24 hour drinking was!
international stationery salesman
The name's Bond, Basildon Bond...
They could coincide happy hour with rush hour.
Its all revenue for the exchequer!
saying that How much do you reckon a pint will cost at the services?? 10quid a go based on the cost of a sandwhich.
and will the M6 toll services have a nice gastropub with guest ales and fine wines, whilst the watford gap will be all stella and fosters?
peterfile - Memberi'd suggest an easier way would be to stick two cans in your car before you set off.
Pointless absolutely pointless, in the air con glove box, thats where mine go, else how can you reach them whilst driving ?
It's not very far from me, it's not actually on the motorway (M40) you can also access it from the A355 and there is a motel right next door.
It's not that different from some other non m-way service area's really, I think the outrage is due to the opening hours, along with the thought of people driving there specifically to drink alcohol?
I almost go past it on my work commute, but won't be dropping in on way to or from work for a 'quick one', although I do use the services sometimes.
I did note that the petrol station on the same site had bottles of spirits behind the till when I got a news paper from there at Christmas.
I grew up in Beaconsfield, so know the area. This service area is actually at a motorway junction and therefore accessible from other roads, as well as the motorway. At a guess it is a bit of a punt by Wetherspoons to see if they can capture both the service station 'restaurant' and family pub (which you drive to already, right?) markets. Not nearly as dramatic as it sounds. The real question is how bad is a combined Wetherspoons and service station going to be?
Pubs aren't just for getting wasted in
Well that's me done with pubs.
Well that's me done with pubs
They'll always be keeping you busy, though. 😐
They'll always be keeping you busy, though.
Where's the fun in that.
Where's the fun in that.
The funny things they say whilst puking all over yer kit.
Judging by all the beer cans I see lying by the road side, in-car drinking is thriving around my home patch. You can break traffic laws with impunity nowadays because there are so few Police on patrol. Just don't have an accident.
France, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands all sell beer at service stations.
What is the problem?
A Weatherspoons at the services isn't going to make one bit of difference.
FFS why not ban all pubs from having car parking? Isn't that just the same?
There's no way i've got time to stop for a pint on my way down/up the M40!
(i've got little enough time on the Mway as it is for all the texting/facebooking/looking at catvideos on youtube that i need to get done.........)