Reading food waste truck named after Ricky Gervais

Published by

Sam Pither

A food waste collection truck in Reading has been named in honour of one of the town’s famous faces.

Comedian Ricky Gervais, who grew up in the suburb of Whitley, posted a picture of the truck, named ‘Ricky Gerwaste’, to his twitter. He said: “Is there any greater honour than your hometown naming a garbage truck after you?”.

This is not the first refuse collection vehicle in the town to be named after a celebrity, either. ‘Kate Binslet’ is a glass recycling truck operated by re3 named in honour of the Titanic actress who, according to BerkshireLive, grew up on the Oxford Road.

Nor is it the last. The truck received its name following a naming competition by Reading Borough Council (RBC). Upon launch, the council gave a few suggestions including ‘Ainsley Chariot’ and ‘Tom Carriage’.

Responding to Gervais, RBC challenged twitter users to find ‘the other 5 trucks’ before they release the full list.

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.