Best and worst services

It’s got to be said there are some really good services out there in terms of value for money and getting a good meal and some down right sespits to to go along with them. What would you say is your best and worst/go to services.

M6 I would say carnforth for the best by a country mile. Worst a toss up between Southwaite and Keele. Overpriced crap.

On M1/A1 I reckon Coneygarth for the best (when you get in) and Watford gap being the worst.

Thoughts?

Thurrock is the worst it’s like a refugee camp full of foreign trucks using it as a uk base with shirtless beer bellied blokes sitting around on crates in groups drinking beer with washing lines hooked up between trucks with their grey underpants drying.
I avoid it as best I can but sometimes have to stop in here as not enough driving time, I won’t go into the services here as I’m to embarrassed, I just take a 30 use the toilet in the garage if I need to & sneak out.

LisasGuy:
Thurrock is the worst it’s like a refugee camp full of foreign trucks using it as a uk base with shirtless beer bellied blokes sitting around on crates in groups drinking beer with washing lines hooked up between trucks with their grey underpants drying.
I avoid it as best I can but sometimes have to stop in here as not enough driving time, I won’t go into the services here as I’m to embarrassed, I just take a 30 use the toilet in the garage if I need to & sneak out.

Your above discription, sounds like a gathering of weekend British drivers anywhere in Europe 20+ years ago.

Multiple suggestions…

For the worst.

In no particular order of crapiness LFE, Medway, Thurrock, Hilton Park…oh what’s the point? All of them!

Good un’s Tebay and Gloucester s’bout it.

Barton on the A1M must surely take the dubious honour of being the biggest crap hole of them all

Now are we talking services or truckstops/lorry parks ■■?

RIPPER:
Now are we talking services or truckstops/lorry parks ■■?

Granted no Welcome break/Moto services will be winning any gold medals but better to include them as well as truckstops. :slight_smile:.

Personally I would rather park on an A1 hotspot and squat in the middle of an open field wiping my arse with nettles than pay them to park in a ■■■■ soaked but of tarmac

biggriffin:

LisasGuy:
Thurrock is the worst it’s like a refugee camp full of foreign trucks using it as a uk base with shirtless beer bellied blokes sitting around on crates in groups drinking beer with washing lines hooked up between trucks with their grey underpants drying.
I avoid it as best I can but sometimes have to stop in here as not enough driving time, I won’t go into the services here as I’m to embarrassed, I just take a 30 use the toilet in the garage if I need to & sneak out.

Your above discription, sounds like a gathering of weekend British drivers anywhere in Europe 20+ years ago.

:laughing: +1.

All MSAs are rip off crap holes, whatever part of the country or what their names are.
Fit only to be used for shower, bog or a cheap coffee, and never for overnight parking or meals. :imp:

Some UK truckstops are better or worse than others, the better they are the more expensive they are.
There are more bad, mediocre, or totally crap ones than good ones in the UK.

All, or at least most over here, are inferior to many European ones.

Just about sums thing up…you’re welcome. :sunglasses: :smiley:

Personally I would rather park on an A1 hotspot and squat in the middle of an open field wiping my arse with nettles than pay them to park in a ■■■■ soaked but of tarmac
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+1
well said…its not best and worst,they are all at the bottom of the barrel with some deeper than others.
working abroad has its merits whilst only having to use the uk as a transit country as much as possible.

Personally I would rather park on an A1 hotspot and squat in the middle of an open field wiping my arse with nettles than pay them to park in a ■■■■ soaked but of tarmac
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+1
well said…its not best and worst,they are all at the bottom of the barrel with some deeper than others.
working abroad has its merits whilst only having to use the uk as a transit country as much as possible.

Heston services is one of the worst. No matter what time of the day its packed. Gordano is a coach stop for coach trips. Its a no go in the mornings. Gloucester is fine you do get a decent meal.

No matter which services it is, there will be a flaw.
Welcome Break are the better ones of the four provider’s. At least the showers work and you do get two £5 vouchers for food with the parking ticket. They have got some decent food outlets like Harry Ramsdens and KFC.
Roadchef just do not seem to understand the needs of a driver. Again two £5 vouchers valid for McDonald’s and the Fresh Food Company. Both not providing enough food for £5.
Moto, now there’s a joke. Stuck in the 70’s decor. Smelly showers, if it works! Blocked toilets and
Extra, what’s Extra? The struggle to reverse in to the parking bays or the trek to the main building?

I only park overnight on any services depending on how much the office has ■■■■■■ me about the previous week so as a rule of thumb, I’m with Robroy, park somewhere I can get out to have a meal and a gargle.

Flmastead/ watling street .
Used be ok bit since they had the place refurbished about 2/3 years ago gone worse.

And why on earth they decided 3 showers and 3 cubicles which are all unisex .
No urinals and 2 sinks is enough is beyond me.
Have no issues with cubicles being unisex open to all genders. But just having 3 is a joke.

Cardiff Gate gets my vote for crappiest msa, Glos services the best one but there is lot I haven’t frequented for a few years admittedly.

They all pretty much merge into one for quality to me apart from the aforementioned Tebay and Gloucester…

Never ate at Tebay but like to wander round as it has the most pretentious/obscure selection of items for sale in a services ive ever seen. Yep if I ever need a kettle made out of wool Tebay would be my shop of choice.

At Gloucester I had probably the best scotch egg experience in my life (no that’s not a euphemism). Pricey but delicious.

Never ate at Tebay but like to wander round as it has the most pretentious/obscure selection of items for sale in a services ive ever seen. Yep if I ever need a kettle made out of wool Tebay would be my shop of choice.

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you know those items are for the basil and doris of the world to buy as a momento from their lake district/sellafield/donald campbells grave tour as its as close as they can get without taking the sides out of the motorhome,causing complete and utter gridlock as they cant reverse or ending up in a field.
watching the ■■■■ run down across the carpark is the limit of their parking skills in that respect. :slight_smile:

WheelsofCardiff:
Heston services is one of the worst. No matter what time of the day its packed. Gordano is a coach stop for coach trips. Its a no go in the mornings. Gloucester is fine you do get a decent meal.

Heston e/bound - like an apocalypse scene out of a video game - even Stalin would describe it as grim.

All it needs is a couple of burnt out cars and a hand reaching out from a drain and grabbing you by the ankle…

Gloucester would get my vote for one of the best, as for the worst theres probably too many to list so Heston it is

Anything Moto is awful. In terms of best? There’s only two places that I’ll eat at rather than cook for myself- Gloucester Services & Chippenham Truckstop, both make really lovely food

Going to need to make a trip to Gloucester I think :laughing:

The food in tebay is ridiculous. Who in their right mind would pay £4 for a scotch egg? I did grab one that was reduced to pennies and was ok right enough. Not £4 ok though