Motorway service stations

[bhowells]

I am off to Scotland tomorrow on a coach holiday, no doubt that there will the usual stops at the dreaded mortoway service station. Whenver we call in to one we never have a meal a cup of tea and a visit to the loo is enough.



Thankfully, some coach drivers ignore these atrocious places and stop off elsewhere, last year for a instance coming back from Torquay, we stopped off at the Cribbs causeway shopping centre in Bristol and had a really decent meal in the restaurant at John Lewis.s.



The other thing I dislike about coach holidays is the tourist trap stops, I saw many of these places on my frequent trips to Ireland, where you get the obligarory rugs, aaron sweaters and Daniel O. Donnel cd.s.

[Chevyman]

If your driver is taking you via the M6, a stop at Tebay services might be good. The only independtly owned and run Motorway Service Station in the UK:-

Our Ethos | Westmorland



Quality is very good, standards are high and the farm shop is worth a visit, maybe on the way back?



For the future this site, which I swear by is excellent:

5minutesaway - Directory of Services and Facilities available off the Motorway



Enjoy your trip

[bhowells]

name='Chevyman']If your driver is taking you via the M6, a stop at Tebay services might be good. The only independtly owned and run Motorway Service Station in the UK:-

Our Ethos | Westmorland



Quality is very good, standards are high and the farm shop is worth a visit, maybe on the way back?



For the future this site, which I swear by is excellent:

5minutesaway - Directory of Services and Facilities available off the Motorway



Enjoy your trip

Thanks just had a look the Tebay services and they look excellent, I will be well chuffed if they stop there. Its nice to know such places exist.

[billy bentley]

I suppose none of these cafes have the sugar spoon on a chain and a jukebox ?

[Steve Crook]

name='billy bentley']I suppose none of these cafes have the sugar spoon on a chain and a jukebox ?

Some of those places do still exist - but not on the motorways. There are a few left on the A roads but many of them are now a Little Chef or something similar. I even know of a few places where you can get a tea and a bacon sarnie out of the back of a trailer in a lay-by



Places like that don't stay in business for all this time unless they serve good grub and do a nice cuppa



Steve

[MovieLover12]

A niceish atmosphere and good food and drink at Watnell Gap, on the road between Nottingham and Dover. I you like going in with a full pocket and coming out half spent you'll love it here. Didn't they always say, "The more you spend, the more you get"?

[Chevyman]

name='billy bentley']I suppose none of these cafes have the sugar spoon on a chain and a jukebox ?

Alas, no Billy, although I remember the Ace Cafe in North London doing just that They had to fix the chairs to the floor at one point too but they've moved on since:-

Welcome to the Ace Cafe London Home Page

[Steve Crook]

name='MovieLover12']A niceish atmosphere and good food and drink at Watnell Gap, on the road between Nottingham and Dover. I you like going in with a full pocket and coming out half spent you'll love it here. Didn't they always say, "The more you spend, the more you get"?

The road between Nottingham and Dover? Do you mean the M1, the M25 and the M20? Or do you go "cross-country" and use the old A roads?



Watnell is just west of the M1 just NW of Nottingham.

Do you mean Trowell Services?



Steve

[Chevyman]

name='Steve Crook']The road between Nottingham and Dover? Do you mean the M1, the M25 and the M20? Or do you go "cross-country" and use the old A roads?



Watnell is just west of the M1 just NW of Nottingham.

Do you mean Trowell Services?



Steve

Or Watford Gap just south of Jcn 17 on the M1?

[MovieLover12]

Sorry, I don't get out much - too much responsibilities here.

[Chevyman]

I think some dark forces are moving these service areas around when we're not looking

[pitchfork]

I second comments about Tebay services.

Also M74 Junction 16 Annandale Water. Lovely place to stop as has a lake and ducks and some good views.

Good place to stretch legs. Both have easy parking for larger vehicles.

I drive commercially so only use the good ones. I

[Chevyman]

name='pitchfork']I second comments about Tebay services.

Also M74 Junction 16 Annandale Water. Lovely place to stop as has a lake and ducks and some good views.

Good place to stretch legs. Both have easy parking for larger vehicles.

I drive commercially so only use the good ones. I

Thanks pitchfork. That's another one on my list

[Mark O]

On the subject of Motorway service stations would anyone know the one Albert Finney's and Yootha Joyce's characters stopped at on the M1 in the Movie Charlie Bubbles on the way home from London to Leeds?......I think that was Jean Marsh playing the surly assistant serving behind the counter



I try to avoid them my self, £2.95 (or more) for Coffee is just ridiculous!

[earlb]

name='MovieLover12']A niceish atmosphere and good food and drink at Watnell Gap, on the road between Nottingham and Dover.

Are you sure you don't mean 'Watford Gap'?

[EHV_Emmetts]

name='bhowells']I am off to Scotland tomorrow on a coach holiday, no doubt that there will the usual stops at the dreaded mortoway service station.

Last year my Aunt took a coach holiday from Redcar to Inverness. The main problem she, and her fellow passengers encountered, was that the coach driver sped along the motorways very fast in order to get to the next stop as quickly as possible so that he could light up a cigarette. They did complain, but it all fell on deaf ears.

[Harleybloke]

name='Chevyman']Alas, no Billy, although I remember the Ace Cafe in North London doing just that They had to fix the chairs to the floor at one point too but they've moved on since:-

Welcome to the Ace Cafe London Home Page

Ace Cafe?



Now yer talking Chevs!!

[MB]

I know they are over-priced - but I actually like motorway service stations to the point of having a bit of a thing for them. I always have to buy something and you can get things there you can't buy anywhere else! They must have a special supplier. I always spend at least £20 on things I don't need or really want and I am so thrilled by it - I don't care.



I like the way you see people there that you don't see anywhere else - too - a great big mix of get up and go people all eyeing each other up as to what they are all doing!

I love them! I was in two today and thinking about this..I used to hitch a lot (don't do it - ever) and I think it reminds me of that period of my life too - which was just wonderful.



Anyway, so I yes I like them!

[billy bentley]

I took the family to the Ace Cafe three summers ago, they loved it. It was Mini night (motor not skirts) , so ther was plenty to look at and lots of nice people about. Both my lads want a return visit when we visit Blighty in August.

[Chevyman]

name='billy bentley']I took the family to the Ace Cafe three summers ago, they loved it. It was Mini night (motor not skirts) , so ther was plenty to look at and lots of nice people about. Both my lads want a return visit when we visit Blighty in August.

Make sure you have a look at their website and check their planned events.



They have some pretty good meets down there.