Where is gone the milkman?

Cristobal

Cristobal

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London
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I saw a few months ago a milk float in the suburbs of London. It is so typically British. Something more or less like this:

UAT675R1.jpg

http://www.milkfloats.org.uk/spmf2.html

It reminded me some British TV series of the sixties (The Saint, The Avengers) in which you could glimpse some vehicules like that and people delivering fresh milk at your door.

However, I have the impression that is pretty rare now, and I would like to know when it started to disappear in big metropolitan areas or big cities. Do you need to live near a dairy factory/farm (I do not know the exact designation) to use this service?

Edit: while searching pictures I found an article on the BBC website.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35821337
 
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" Silent Death " we nicknamed them back in the 1960s & 70s. The drivers used to turn off the lights in the dark early mornings at 05.00 and 6ish in order to conserve the limited range batteries. Making them a distinct hazard to the muffled up hurrying early morning pedestrian or cyclist, especially in icy conditions. They moved surprisingly briskly, accompanied only by a ghostly whine. If they weren't knocking people over the young lads who sat on the platform on the back were forever falling off or getting injured clambering on or off.

JohnnyO. o/.
 
I don't know exactly when they started to dissappear. In the mid 80s companies like Unigate saw what was happening to the business and started to push "partnerships" where the milkman would not longer be an employee with a salary. The milkman became a salesman on commission and I believe that was the beginning of the end. In the mean time Unigate, like other companies continue to develop the business of selling milk in large plastic containers to supermarkets etc.
I think (at a guess) we had a milkman coming every other day until about 7 years ago. We used to have a small order just to try to keep the guy in business but, like most family, we used to get most of our dairy products from the supermarket.

A sad end when I think of it.

I remember when people used to deliver coal for the fire....
 
If I go in to work late, I sometimes see a milkman trundling around. Amazing to think that they've been electric for so long. Just as the rest of the world catches up, they start to disappear :)
 
I always grab a pint or two if I see a float as the milk seems noticeably fresher, unfortunately we gave up on ours as it became too unreliable.
 
We still have a delivery. Fresh milk at 4am and no carrying heavy items from the supermarket. Don't really think it's any fresher than supermarket milk but we don't go there everyday.
You pay a lot more for delivery but you're getting a service and supporting local business and dairies.

... and we pay online.. That's modern!
 
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