The 24 seats at Piggy’s was full on Monday morning (13 January) when celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson served up a VIP breakfast to thank the regulars who have helped Dave and wife Karen build up the family business over the last three years.

Europcar set out on a journey to find Britain’s best cafe as part of a campaign to save the so-called ‘greasy spoon’ from extinction. A number of recent surveys have suggested that it is the end of the road for traditional transport cafes because of the growing trend towards more ‘lifestyle’ eateries.

But Europcar was inundated with more than 250 nominees after it launched its ‘Move It’ competition aimed at people who eat and go.

The criteria included friendliness, cleanliness and, of course, the standard of the cooking.

"My wife used to work here and we always dreamed of running the place," said Dave, a former printer and father of four.

"It used to be a real ‘greasy spoon’, but we have introduced a wider range of dishes to cater for all, which is why we are always busy. In fact we became victims of our own success and have recently cut back the hours because we were not getting any time to ourselves."

The cafe is on the main street of the tiny village near Chippenham and is close to the transport RAF base.

"The RAF has its own canteens which are highly subsidised, but they still prefer to come here for their breakfast. Everyone says the atmosphere is good, because there is a real intimate feel to the place," he says.

"We open at 7.30 in the morning, but there are still business people waiting on the step when I arrive as they can’t go to their meetings without a bacon sandwich inside them."

Dave received a branded apron and plaque that will be mounted pride of place on the wall as well as new kitchen equipment. One of the lucky customers who nominated Piggy’s, Missies Karen Taylor could choose between a Spanish holiday for the family or free van rental for 6 months, courtesy of Europcar.

Adrian White, head of brand at Europcar, says: "We were shocked to see the once-loved British ‘greasy spoon’ come a long way behind trendy theme pubs and fast food restaurants in other surveys. So we conducted our own poll amongst our customers to find out where people liked to eat on the go to coincide with our new ‘Move It’ van launch. We were inundated with entries so it seems that the traditional cafe is still part of the national landscape."

Europcar, the car rental company, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen A.G., the largest car manufacturer in Europe and number three worldwide with its VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda brands.

With 2685 world-wide locations in 123 countries and a fleet of more than 117,000 vehicles, Europcar is one of the world’s leading car rental companies. Founded in Paris in 1949, Europcar boasts greater airport coverage in Europe than any other car rental company and is the world’s largest car rental company of European origin.

Europcar is one of the UK’s leading car rental companies, with a fleet of approximately 20,000 vehicles and a network of over 120 stations, servicing 820,000 passengers a year.

Europcar UK provides rental choice from 1 hour to 1 year, with or without a driver, for work or play. We provide a large selection of vehicle makes and models from small economy models and sporty convertibles to large family cars, minibuses and luxurious sedans, as well as vans.

Europcar, you rent a lot more than a car.

Sophie Ammann, Public Relations

Tel : 07771972803 / 01923811298

E-mail : ammanns@mail.europcar.com