Cotteswold Dairy Review - Real Employee Experience

Rating:
1/5

Published: 11 November 2025

This review provides a detailed, evidence-based examination of working conditions at Cotteswold Dairy Ltd in Tewkesbury.

Drawing on first-hand accounts from production staff, warehouse operatives, and HGV drivers, it exposes a significant gap between recruitment promises and day-to-day realities.

Employees consistently report excessive hours, unsafe practices, and a management culture that prioritises output over wellbeing.

When compared to industry norms, the reported working conditions fall short of health, safety, and labour standards expected in modern UK dairy operations.

Editorial note: Content on this page reflects commonly reported employee experiences observed across publicly available review platforms. It represents opinion and commentary, not verified facts, and does not reproduce individual reviews.

Table of Contents

Company Details

Registered Information

Contact Details

Workplace and Yard Environment

The facility is located in a congested industrial estate, where parking is limited and vehicle flow is high. Cars, HGVs, and forklifts frequently operate within inches of each other, creating ongoing collision hazards.

The yard surface is uneven, riddled with potholes, and becomes treacherous in wet or dark conditions.

Staff report regular incidents of near misses and minor accidents, underscoring a lack of robust safety protocols.

One employee highlighted pest problems: “Rats hide in stacked pallets outside,” suggesting that waste management and hygiene practices are insufficient.

In combination with constant vehicle activity and cluttered layouts, these conditions contribute to a persistently unsafe outdoor environment.

Compared to best practice guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the site’s risk management appears minimal.

Smoking Area and Facilities

The smoking shelter, positioned near the main entrance, is only partially covered, leaving employees exposed to wind and rain.

In winter months, workers describe the area as “like sitting in a freezer and taking a shower at the same time.” Many staff reportedly spend breaks inside their vehicles to avoid exposure.

Facilities across the site are basic, with little provision for comfort or hygiene.

In modern industrial workplaces, such minimal investment in staff welfare can negatively impact morale and productivity, reinforcing a sense of disposability among employees.

Shifts and Working Hours

Production shifts at Cotteswold Dairy do not conform to a standard eight-hour schedule; employees work until production lines halt, often extending shifts to 10-11 hours.

Warehouse shifts are similarly flexible, extended with minimal notice to meet production demands. HGV drivers face some of the most extreme schedules in the region, reportedly working between 9 and up to 18 hours per day.

Duties include driving, deliveries, unloading, cleaning, refuelling, and paperwork, often overnight and on rural roads under poor visibility.

Actual driving hours average 8-13 per day, exceeding the recommended maximums for long-haul operations and presenting clear fatigue risks, which can compromise both safety and legal compliance.

Driver Conditions

Drivers are expected to manually unload heavy cages, sometimes during legally mandated tachograph breaks.

Short, irregular breaks and night driving create hazardous conditions, with fatigue and visibility issues increasing the risk of accidents.

The company’s Trainee HGV Driver programme ties employees into a two-year commitment, requiring repayment of training costs if they leave early.

While intended to secure staff retention, this policy effectively discourages resignations despite long hours and physically demanding work, raising questions about its alignment with employment fairness standards.

Production and Warehouse Areas

Production areas are consistently described as loud, cluttered, and congested.

Narrow walkways are filled with crates and milk cages, forcing staff to move quickly - sometimes running - to keep up with line speed.

The pervasive odour of sour milk and cleaning chemicals, combined with wet floors, creates both physical discomfort and hygiene concerns.

Warehouse staff similarly face challenging conditions, working in cold storage or outdoors in rain and wind to load trailers.

Forklifts are frequently outdated, poorly maintained, and exposed to the elements, adding further operational risk.

These conditions fall below modern industry benchmarks for occupational health and safety, which emphasise ergonomics, hazard reduction, and protective equipment.

Health and Safety

Health and safety enforcement appears minimal. The yard is described as chaotic, with trailers, forklifts, and pedestrians sharing the same space amid littered pallets and debris.

Minor accidents and near misses are reportedly common, while concerns about cleanliness, pest control, and faulty machinery often go unaddressed.

One employee summarised the culture bluntly: “If you’re there - you work.”

Compared to HSE guidance and industry norms, the lack of proactive risk assessment, incident reporting, and preventive maintenance represents a serious deficiency.

Management and Culture

Management is frequently characterised as authoritarian and numbers-driven. Staff raising safety concerns or questioning instructions report immediate reprimand or dismissal.

Supervisory approaches rely heavily on pressure and criticism, rather than training or support.

One worker noted: “You’re treated like a number, not a person.”

High staff turnover is evident, with continuous recruitment through agencies to replace departing employees.

This management style contributes directly to low morale, high absenteeism, and retention challenges, while creating a work culture prioritising compliance over wellbeing.

Pay and Retention

Employees are paid weekly, which insiders believe helps retention among short-term hires who might otherwise leave sooner.

While the structure ensures workers get paid regularly, it reflects the company’s awareness of its high attrition rate.

No performance bonuses, incentives, or substantial pay rises are reported.

Working at Cotteswold Dairy: Pros and Cons

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: Should You Work for Cotteswold Dairy?

Cotteswold Dairy in Tewkesbury presents a workplace defined by overwork, poor organisation, and inadequate attention to health and safety.

Drivers endure some of the region’s longest shifts, while production and warehouse staff operate in cold, dirty, and hazardous conditions.

Management prioritises output and compliance over employee welfare, leaving staff undervalued and exposed to preventable risks.

When compared to industry standards and HSE guidance, the reported working environment raises serious concerns for prospective applicants.

Those considering employment should weigh the demanding, unsafe, and unsupportive conditions carefully before joining.

Important: This review is based on real employee accounts and observations from people with direct experience at the site. It is published to provide factual insight into daily working life at Cotteswold Dairy Ltd, Tewkesbury - allowing jobseekers to make an informed choice before applying.

Final recommendation: If you value predictable working hours, fair pay, proper rest breaks, and a workplace that genuinely prioritises employee wellbeing and health & safety, you may want to explore other opportunities instead. Cotteswold Dairy appears to prioritise production output and tight schedules over staff welfare, leaving many workers feeling undervalued and overworked.

Share this review:

More UK Workplace Reviews:

See All Workplace Reviews
▲