Jobs go as truckstop closes

A popular truckstop in Staffordshire is to close next week with the loss of 26 jobs, despite a desperate bid by lorry drivers to keep it open.

The Nightowl in the Cannock Road in Featherstone will shut its doors for the last time a week today. The bombshell comes after a planning application to redevelop the site.

However, the application was turned down by South Staffordshire Council.

The news of the closure was broken to staff by bosses from Kilmartin Roadside in meetings yesterday afternoon.

One worker said today: "We were all devastated. There were a lot of tears. Some staff have been here for 12 years and we were a great team."

Another member of the staff, who said workers were warned in October jobs were at risk, said: "We thought the rejection of the application would win us a reprieve but those hopes have been dashed. What a Christmas present – we are all gutted."

Kilmartin Roadside had told planners the BP truckstop was not financially viable and it wanted to replace it with four industrial units and 1.5 acres of warehousing.

Objectors included Staffordshire Police, who feared the loss of a safe haven could result in more truck hijackings.

Recent checks suggested that 190 lorries a day were using the round-the-clock truckstop where vehicles are charged £16-a-night.

South Staffordshire Council chairwoman Patricia Griffin said today: "This is very sad news."

Essington district and parish councillor David Clifft said: "The closure of the site would force truck drivers to park up in surrounding villages such as Essington, Hilton and Featherstone."

But he offered fresh hope of a future for the truckstop, revealing: "I am putting together a bid with a potential buyer who wants to keep the place open."