For many Brits, a crucial part of any long-distance car journey is planning out the motorway services stations to stop off at along the way.
While most of us will probably admit that we don’t usually visit service stations for fun, they often provide us with a necessary pit stop as somewhere to stretch our legs, use the loo, refill the car and grab a bite to eat before we head back on the road again.
What would we do without them?
Out of all the service stations that are dotted across the country though, which one is rated as the best? And which is the worst?
In preparation for the further easing of national lockdown restrictions over the coming months, leading consumer choice company, Which?, recruited 5,600 people to rate a total of 68 UK service stations in a number of categories, including the range and quality of shops and food outlets, prices, convenience, parking, accessibility, cleanliness and ease of maintaining social distancing, and more.
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The customer score for each service station combines the overall satisfaction and likelihood of recommending.
Where do you think is the UK's best motorway service station?
Topping the list as the best motorway service station in the UK is Gloucester Services – between junctions 11A and 12 on the M5 – which received a whopping four out of five stars for all categories, with a customer score of 86%.
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One visitor said it was “as far from a typical motorway stop as you can imagine”, with other customers praising its “fabulous” farm shop selling home-cooked meals and local produce.
At the other end of the scale though is the Moto-owned Bridgwater Services in Somerset, which ranked the worst in Britain by Which? after it was awarded just one star out of five for all categories analysed and received an overall customer score of just 32%.
Recent visitors described the venue as “dirty” and “depressing”, and others complained of a urine smell and toilet paper strewn on the floor.
Speaking on the unveiling of best and worst UK service stations, Rory Boland – Editor of Magazine Which? Travel – said: “The results of our survey show that it pays to plan ahead to avoid some of the UK’s worst motorway services.
“It could be the difference between a home-cooked meal in peaceful surroundings or crowded queues in downright dirty facilities.
“Whether you’re zipping down the M5 towards the beaches on the south-west coast, or up the M6 towards the Scottish border, make sure your journey isn’t spoiled by a stop at a shoddy service station.”
Top 5 Best Motorway Service Stations in the UK
Gloucester Services (86%)
Tebay Services (83%)
Cairn Lodge Services (69%)
Norton Canes Services (65%)
Wetherby Services (61%)
Top 5 Worst Motorway Service Stations in the UK
Bridgwater Services (32%)
Gordano Services (40%)
Newport Pagnell Services (41%)
Sandbach Services (42%)
Keele Services (42%)
In response to placing last in the rankings, Ken McMeikan – CEO of Moto – said: “I am appalled by the score at our Bridgwater site.
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“This does not reflect the standards we aspire to across all of our sites and I can absolutely guarantee that all of the issues raised will be dealt with immediately to ensure we get Bridgwater back to the standard we know our customers expect and deserve.”
What do you think to this list then? Do you agree?
You can find the full rankings of the best and worst motorway service stations in the UK via the Which? website here.
Featured Image – Gloucester Services | Bridgewater Services
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IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day with free breakfasts and £15 discounts this weekend
Emily Sergeant
IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day at stores across the UK this weekend, and it sounds like the perfect excuse for a lazy day.
Don’t you just wish it was socially acceptable to wear your pyjamas in public sometimes?
Well now you can actually get away with it for once, as Swedish furniture retailer IKEA is hosting one of the most unique shopping experiences there is this weekend, and is inviting customers to ditch their daywear and don their favourite PJs instead.
Promising to be “a fun day out for all the family”, IKEA’s Pyjama Day is the perfect opportunity to shop for all your home needs in the most comfortable attire imaginable.
IKEA is hosting a massive pyjama day this weekend / Credit: IKEA
In a move that’s sure to be a bit of a dream come true for lazy Mancs, all late risers and loungewear lovers can get themselves down to either the Ashton or Warrington IKEA stores to make the most of all the cosy action.
Anyone signed up to be an ‘IKEA Family’ member who visits their local store wearing pyjamas this weekend can help themselves to a free breakfast of either a small cooked Full English or a breakfast roll, with veggie and vegan options available, or any children’s breakfast for those under 16.
That’s not all either, as pyjama-clad shoppers will also be able to snag an exclusive £15 discount when they spend £50 or more in-store on the same day.
If all of that wasn’t enough to get you down there as it is, there’s also set to be a special visit from BJÖRN bear in the restaurant for little ones, as well as loads of other free events in stores nationwide to get yourselves stuck into.
To bag your free breakfast and £15 discount, you just need to become an ‘IKEA Family’ member first by signing up for free on the IKEA website to unlock access to a range of exclusive deals and benefits, as well as up to 20% off on IKEA ‘Sleep Essentials’ until Monday 30 September.
To turn up in your PJs though? That’s open to all.
IKEA Pyjama Day is taking place at stores nationwide this Saturday 7 September, and you can find out more on the IKEA website here.
Featured Image – IKEA
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Costa, Greggs, and more unveil 2024 autumn menus full of new toasties, cakes, and seasonal drinks
Emily Sergeant
Tasty toasties, cakes, seasonal drinks, and more all feature on the new 2024 autumn menus at a handful of popular high street coffee shop chains.
As summer draws to a close and the colder months edge closer, it’s not uncommon the high street’s best-loved coffee shop chains to unveil their limited-edition autumn menus around this time to help get us in the spirit.
Thankfully, Costa, Greggs, Starbucks, and Pret have all delivered so far.
Chicken and chorizo paninis, hog roast toasties, salt beef baguettes, salted caramel chocolate cakes, stem ginger cookies, and pumpkin spice doughnuts are just a selection of the mouthwatering foodie treats forming part of the new seasonal menus that you’ll soon be able to tuck into at each of the chains.
And of course, what would autumn be without pumpkin spice lattes? The cult-classic drink is now on the menu in both hot and cold format at Greggs, Pret, and its original home, Starbucks.
Costa, Greggs, and more have unveiled their new autumn menus for 2024 / Credit: Costa
Over at Costa, there’s a wide range of new items having been added to the lineup for the next couple of months, with some of the highlights being the Brie, Bacon, and Chilli Jam Panini, the Chilli Beef and Cheddar Toastie, a Sticky Pecan Mini Loaf, and a spooky iced gingerbread ghost biscuit, perfect for little ones or as a sweet snack.
Alongside the newbies, Costa’s fan-favourite Hog Roast Toastie, Roast Chicken and Bacon Sandwich, and Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cake will also be returning, as will the massively-popular Maple Hazel drinks range.
At Greggs, there’s a stunning selection of pumpkin spice treats to choose from, including the Pumpkin Spice Doughnut and classic Pumpkin Spice Latte, as well as other seasonal hot drinks like the Orange Mocha and Orange Hot Chocolate, and the much-loved Salted Caramel Latte, while when it comes to savoury options, there’s a new Mexican Bean and Spicy Cheese Flatbread, and an All-Day Breakfast Baguette to see you through the day.
The limited-edition menus are full of tasty toasties, sweet treats, and seasonal drinks / Credit: Pret | Greggs
Pret has also joined the pumpkin spice and salted caramel bandwagon for another year, with both lattes returning yet again, but some of the stand-out new additions to its menu include the Mushroom Florentine Toastie, the Beef & Horseradish Baguette, the Cinnamon Crown, and Spiced Apple & Pecan Muffin.
Starbucks is yet to fully unveil its new autumn menu, but is expected to do so very soon so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.
However, what we do know is that the original Pumpkin Spice Latte is already back in all its glory.
Greggs and Pret’s new autumn menus are now available to tuck into for a limited time only, while Costa’s launches nationwide this Thursday (5 September), and Starbucks will be in due course.