The Mobile Milk Bar Scores on Show and Fair Ground
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A Cheltenham Operator Covers the Country with Vans and Trailers to Offer Milk-bar Service to Thou
sands of People
IN recent years, a place has been found, in England's rows of shops for the milk bar—a heritage from our American friends. It is as familiar, after only a year or two 'of existence in this country, as the traditional coffee stall, which is laboriously wheeled or driven to its pitch every evening.
Are we to see a host of milk bars taking to wheels in years to come, as the coffee stalls did so long ago? The possibility must be recognized, and at least one man in England has had the initiative and courage to build up a pioneer business of mobile milk bars..
Mr. G. B. Day was, in 1936, manager of what he calls "the first mobile milk bar in the country," owned by Adams Milk Bars, Ltd., of Yeovil, The bar was in a Raven trailer, drawn by a Morris van, and had Creasey. equipment. Mr. Day saw the possibilities of profit-earning in the business, and a few months later, started on his own account.
By the beginning of May, 1937, the firm of Messrs. J.C. Milk Bars was well in operation, with Mr. Day as proprietor. He had a first-hand knowledge of the business and was well aware of all the pitfalls awaiting the operator of this type of service. In addition, he, himself, was prepared to toil ceaselessly, both on practical and clerical work.
To-day, he operates two 1933 Fordson 30-cwt. vans, in conjunction with a 10-ft. Raven trailer, an 18-ft. 6-in. Rice trailer, and two sectional-bar units. He is now contemplating the purchase of another large trailer, whilst the likelihood of steady expansion of the firm is, of course, in his mind.
B6 -The larger trailer is employed for the heaviest type of work, this mainly consisting of service at agricultural shows, military. tattoos, etc. It has the Rice automatic ball-hitch and jockey wheel, for which Mr. Day is full of praise.: Such details as these, he maintains, contribute in no small degree to the success of operation of this particular type of business.
2,000 Drinks a Day.
The trailer is only 41 ins, from the ground and weighs approximately 30 cwt., when fully laden. It was built to Mr. Day's own design and it is possible to serve 2,000 hot or cold drinks daily. Four persons can work in it quite comfortably, if necessary, whilst . it can accommodate 40 gallons of milk and 20 gallons of ice cream.
The smaller trailer is employed, for the most part, at point-to-point meetings, and is not large enotiP for agricultural shows. It weighs about a ton, fully laden. Maintenance of the vans and trailers is carried out at 18, Cromwell Road, Cheltenham (the headquarters of th..7: firm), by a qualified man from an outside concern. The vans are greased and sprayed thoroughly every month and have proved exceptionally reliable, with an excellent performance when towing.
Maintenance of the bodies, and of the bars themselves, is carried out by Mr. Day• and his employees. This includes painting and repairs, but the signwriting is done by an outside agent. The working radius of Messrs. J.C. Milk Bars is country-wide, and the average stay in one place is only two days. The average annual mileage for the two vehicles and trailers is 12,000, which is high when the proportion of stationary time is considered.
Most of the spring and summer months are occupied with service with agricultural shows and point-to-points, then there are one-day shows and fairs until the end of October, after which there are indoor fairs and exhibitions, with January left for overhauls, repainting, etc.
The milk bars toyer about 75 per ceat. .of all the agricultural shows in the country, and 50 per cent, of the point-to-points, and are at present booked up well ahead. There is no unit free for work on a Bank Holiday for three years aheadl Mr. Day says that, on an average, it is necessary to work at least 12 months ahead with a mobile milk-bar undertaking.
Cafe is taken to give the trailers as easy a life as possible. In order to minimize wear and tear, and to eliminate undue side-sway, a large quantity of the goods is carried in the van. Syrup is the biggest' item and it is usually necessary to carry as much as 25 cwt.
Other goods transported are biscuits, confectionery and soup ingredients,
whilst the milk itself is ordered a week in advance and delivered, by the supplier, to the nearest railway station. Calor-gas is employed in each trailer, and both hot and cold drinks are served.
Storage batteries, of large capacity, supply current for lighting and for the operation of the electric drink-mixers. Dry ice is used for refrigeration purposes.
Mr. Day, as already mentioned, takes a practical part in the work, as well as attending to, the clerical side. He has three trained operators and a driver for each van,-. :Examples of the serving work are-provided by the following: -At a military tattoo, such as Aldershot or Tidworth, it has been necessary to serve 1,700, drinks between the hours of 11.30 p.m. and 2 urn.; at the Mame
one-day Show, 1,573 drinks were served by Mr. Day and his foreman, without other aid.
The sectional bars, which arc carried in the vans, can be taken out and erected quite quickly. They are used at point-to-point meets.
Mr. Day has some interesting experiences to relate. Apparently, it is highly necessary to carry comprehensive trenching equipment.. especially or point-to-points held in the wet season, and even FO there have heen occasions when a lorry and trailer, complete, have been dragged out of badly' churned-up ground by giant farm horses! On the other hand, Mr. Day says that when gales wreak havoc at race meetings and shows—when big marquees a re blown llat•-•milk bars still stand steady !