Country pub installs place for thirsty farmers to park their tractors

By Adam Dutton via SWNS

A pub landlord is helping farmers enjoy a pint – by installing the ‘world’s first tractors-only’ parking bay.

Rick Ellison, 39, had a giant symbol of a yellow tractor painted next to a disabled parking space outside The Anchor Inn in the Peak District.

The landlord, who has run the boozer in Tideswell, Derbys., for eight years, reckons it’s the “world’s first pub tractor bay”.

Since it was painted outside the pub – which is surrounded by farms and rural communities – business has been booming.

Rick said: “I requested the space during a refurbishment after noticing tractors not being able to fit in normal parking spaces.

"The pub is in the middle of a farming community so I thought we should acknowledge that by providing a space big enough for a tractor.

“The tractor space has now become a talking point with some people taking photos of their tractors parked there.

"We don't need to enforce the rule of it being just for tractors. People recognize it's for farming vehicles and love it when there is a tractor there.

"There was a 16-year-old who lives in the village, and the only thing he can drive is a tractor.

"He had this massive beat-up old Ferguson, and his girlfriend was perched on the footplate.

"I think she was put out by the mode of transport but it was quite fun."

The average tractor is around 7ft wide and 13ft long meaning it takes up the equivalent of three normal-sized car parking spaces.

Rick said he hit on the idea of creating farm vehicle bays soon after taking over the popular pub.

He added: "When I first came in here a fella arrived with a muck spreader, which was the most bizarre thing I'd seen in a pub car park.

"It took up three spaces, and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be good if you had a space that could fit a tractor and a muck spreader?'

"When the brewery who own the pub were going to do a full refurb I persuaded them to do the car park as well.

“I managed to talk them into putting the tractor bay in."

The tractor space is the same width as a disabled parking bay but is half a space longer.

Rick added: "We've not yet had a time when two tractors are competing over the space but if demand grows we might have to think about providing another tractors-only bay."