Ronay tries truckers' fare
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• Truck drivers pulling into transport cafes could find themselves sharing a table with restaurant critic Egon Ronay who wants to write a new guide to Britain's "greasy spoons". Following a letter to deputy prime minister John Prescott, Ronay is due to meet DETR officials to flesh out his idea of researching the fare currently on offer at truckstops. Last month's White Paper outlined plans to draw up a "rescue package" for roadside cafes which are under pressure from chains such as Little Chef and Happy Eater. Local authorities are to identify areas where roadside facilities are inadequate and give priority to cafes dedicated to truck drivers.
Ronay wrote two similar guides in the 1970s, listing more than 330 transport cafes, but some estimates suggest there may now be fewer than 100. If it gets the green light from i. ministers, Ronay says the new guide will be a non-profit venture as a gesture of support for the transport cafes which remain.
Ronay has a team of researchers, but says he will be visiting many of the cafes himself. "Good transport cafes are really superb and incredibly cheap. The menu might be a little on the heavy side, but then the job of driving a truck demands good solid food," he says. "Truck drivers appreciate good food, and they expect their breakfasts to be traditional English breakfasts."