[hereonout2]

Conversely, I've no idea where you or the parent has the idea that the UK is full of automated car washes and the OP is talking bullshit. I live in London and can think of a only a handful of the old fashioned automatic car washes.

Whereas I can get a hand carwash at pretty much any supermarket car park I land on. From a guy with a bucket and trolley to a full team of four going at it with a power wash. Tesco, Sainsbury's, wherever.

The Albanian angle feels loaded, but it's true that many of the employees do seem to be recent immigrants.

I don't see much point denying this reality, it feels a bit like trying to argue there's always been high streets full of betting shops, charity shops, vape stores and American candy shops.

[basisword]

London is an odd one as space is limited and the hand wash places can pop up anywhere quite easily. If I look at the more suburban place I'm from most petrol stations still have the automated ones (contactless payment now instead of the tokens). And most of the larger supermarkets there that have petrol stations still have the automated car washes too.

[pertymcpert]

I know exactly what they're talking about and I lived in another city in the UK (not close to London). It's a thing.

[hdgvhicv]

London is a small part of the U.K. with a below average number of cars. It’s an anomaly compared to the 85% of the U.K. which is normal.