MONEY MATTERS
Record-breaking bank holiday on the motorway Almost one million visitors take a break at Roadchef service areas over the 3-day weekend
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With more families embarking on domestic
in Cumbria and Taunton Deane in Devon, experienced record-
holidays this year than ever before, leading
breaking trade over the three days. But taking the crown as
motorway service area provider, Roadchef, has
the most popular Roadchef motorway service area over the
experienced its busiest summer since the start of the COVID
August bank holiday weekend was Strensham (combined
pandemic – and one of the busiest in its trading history.
North & South sites) on the M5, followed by Norton Canes on
Almost 1 million people visited the company’s sites across
the M6 toll and Sedgemoor on the M5.
the UK over the August bank holiday weekend. During this
To cater for the UK’s biggest staycation summer, Roadchef
period, the company served almost 230,000 hot drinks and
hosted interactive pop-up entertainment such as The Hedge
over 200,000 McDonald’s burgers.
People, Flower People and a Caricaturist to help rejuvenate
Mark Fox, CEO at Roadchef, said: “As we expected, it’s been an
travellers on long journeys at some of its Southwest sites
exceptionally busy summer on the road, particularly this bank
including Taunton Deane and Sedgemoor. Further to this,
holiday weekend. This is without question, one of the busiest
the company also installed a number of outdoor food kiosks,
weekends in our trading history and we are very proud that we
in addition to their traditional offering, to offer grab-and-go
have been able to provide a place for holidaymakers to stop and
delights including bagels and ice cream.
de-stress on their travels. We planned ahead for the crowds and
Mark Fox concluded: “The last 18 months have been
ensured that there were sufficient dining options and space for
completely unprecedented; we have gone from being
more customers than ever before to visit our sites.”
extremely quiet – welcoming occasional essential road users –
With the pandemic continuing to affect international travel
at the height of the pandemic, to one of the busiest weekends
plans, this year’s ‘staycation summer’ has seen millions of
on record. Its testament to the fantastic teams that we have at
people take to the roads to visit British beauty spots in popular
Roadchef that we are able to flex our business so dramatically
destinations including Cornwall and the Lake District. Roadchef
to cater to demand. We are very much looking forward to what
sites on the way to these destinations, such as Killington Lake
the rest of the year brings.”
Brand New Collection Bays at JJ Sidcup Branch JJ Foodservice has invested in new collection bays at its Sidcup branch to boost capacity by 150% in response to increased demand for collection
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“The campaign has been so popular, we had to increase our capacity,” said Local Branch Manager, Iskren Mitkov. “We now have fifteen new bays, up from six, ready for collection customers, helping more caterers to make great savings when they order online and collect,” he added.
he business launched a ‘Collect and Save’ campaign in July offering caterers savings of up to 30% when they
order and pay online, for collection. 56
Fastfood Professional • October and November 2021
October and November 2021 • Fastfood Professional
56
