Britain's most exclusive burger van ... in the middle of the M25

 

 

Reader comments (4)

Food on the go: The M25 burger van surrounded by traffic

 

 

It has an exclusive clientele of only 150 diners who are allowed to sample its culinary delights. One of the celebrity-packed restaurants in the posher parts of London, perhaps?

No, a humble burger van - standing in the central reservation of the M25 at Junction 25 in North London.

And because it is solely for the use of the men toiling on the Holmesdale Tunnel roadworks near Enfield, the only dress code is a hard hat and a fluorescent jacket.

The van, owned and run by M25 Catering Limited, is isolated by two lanes of 40mph traffic on either side and is strictly off-limits to the public. The bizarre location of the 'van' - actually a kitchen on wheels which can be hitched to a car - draws puzzled looks from drivers. Some have even got out of their cars as they sit in traffic jams to attempt to buy a cup of tea and something to eat.

Sue Laroche, the 47-year-old owner of the family-run business, said: "We have to explain we're only there for the blokes working on site and that they're not really supposed to park up on the M25. You do get funny looks from people when they see a burger van in the middle of the central reservation. It',s a wonder there hasn't been an accident."

The van has been feeding contractor Costain's workers since the £65million project began in March and will remain in place until November next year.

Convenient location

The two-strong catering team start work at 8am and spend eight hours handing out teas, burgers, hotdogs and sandwiches. Workman Allister Goldsmith, 35, said: "It's good to have it here. They have a canteen at the main depot but a lot of the lads don't get the chance to leave the site."

Concrete finisher Baljit Singh, 28, added: "The food's great and they're a good bunch of people."

On Friday, Mandy Simmons, 38, and son Daniel, 20, were manning the grill, microwave and tea urn.

"I love the job," said Mrs Simmons, who has worked on the van for three years and is married to a motorway worker. "All the lads are lovely and a good laugh."

Prices compare favourably with similar vans located outside football grounds and at rock festivals. A cup of tea is a reasonable 30p while the most expensive item on the menu - which is scrawled on a paper bag and taped to the van's back wall - is a sausage, bacon and egg 'French stick' at £3. Vegetarian burgers are also on offer, although Mrs Simmons confessed: "We don't have much call for those."

Mrs Laroche has run the business for four years and goes from site to site as major works begin and end. "I enjoy it," she said. "We've got a captive audience so we can't go wrong! Despite the noise and traffic I wouldn't want to work anywhere else."

i'd have thought it was a sensible idea to get the roadworks done quickly. there's usually so many queues on the M25, you wouldn't want the workers trying to head off to find somewhere else to eat, they'd never be on site to work!!

i'd have thought it was a sensible idea to get the roadworks done quickly. there's usually so many queues on the M25' date=' you wouldn't want the workers trying to head off to find somewhere else to eat, they'd never be on site to work!![/quote']

 

They never are anyway!!:P

mmmmmmmmmmmmm!! I know. am thoroughly looking forward to the 8 months of roadworks due to start on the M60 in the next fortnight. the only way round them is through a jam-packed a-road which won't be much fun either. Yay!!!!! Retail @ Christmas combined with roadworks & traffic jams, I am going to have so much fun for the rest of this year :angry:

mmmmmmmmmmmmm!! I know. am thoroughly looking forward to the 8 months of roadworks due to start on the M60 in the next fortnight. the only way round them is through a jam-packed a-road which won't be much fun either. Yay!!!!! Retail @ Christmas combined with roadworks & traffic jams' date=' I am going to have so much fun for the rest of this year :angry:[/quote']

 

Jamchester??:rolleyes:

Although credit to the workers, they have finished the road-works on the M4 around junction 19...

 

...Only took them 18 months and the roadworks have moved on eastwards

mmmmmmmmmmmmm!! I know. am thoroughly looking forward to the 8 months of roadworks due to start on the M60 in the next fortnight. the only way round them is through a jam-packed a-road which won't be much fun either. Yay!!!!! Retail @ Christmas combined with roadworks & traffic jams' date=' I am going to have so much fun for the rest of this year :angry:[/quote']You can tell me all about Cheadle when the roadworks are finished ;)

I heard that outside the M25 there be Demons & Dragons

 

:)

A Big Tarmac, anyone??:rolleyes:

But in other news, work on the new M4 Toll Road by-passing Newport and that old tunnel will start soon.

 

Does the M4 need another fucking toll?

 

Don't the severn bridges serve their purpose then?