But wouldn't a static trolley that was built into the design, with a proper place for it to stand so it wasn't obstructing anything, basically be a mini buffet of sorts? Surely a buffet just means it's refreshments and drinks served from a fixed place rather than wheeled up and down the train?
No not really.
A proper buffet offers freshly brewed real coffee, hot cooked snacks such as bacon rolls, and chilled beer and soft drinks.
A trolley offers a very limited selection of poor quality hot drinks, if available at all, lukewarm beer, and no hot food.
Supporters of the IETs suggested that the trolley would be wonderful and that the advantages of being served at ones table would compensate for the reduced range.
We are now hearing suggestions that a static trolley would be even better. What rubbish. A static trolley combines the limited stock of poor quality products, with having to walk and find it, or more likely find it not available.
Rather than trying different permutations of the failed trolley service, time to admit defeat and bring back a proper buffet with decent stock and facilities. A MINIMUM offering IMHO should include
4 types/styles of real coffee. 4 choices of tea. drinking chocolate. hot soup.
6 different chilled soft drinks.
6 choices of beer, cider, and lager, all cold.
several choices of wine in different bottle sizes.
6 different spirits and a choice of mixers.
3 different hot snacks such as bacon rolls, beef in a bun, and hot sausage in a bun.
Several choices of sandwiches.
Other cold snacks such as pork pies and scotch eggs.
Crisps, peanuts, confectionary.
Cant offer that from a trolley, not even the new static trolley that is so much better than a mobile trolley.