Grub in motorway services was cr*p long before the influx of Johnny Foreigner, Archie. And as long as the companies who run them are making money things aren’t likely to change.
I’m away for my baguette & half a bottle of merlot.
Dave, you’re right about the Highway Star, there was another filling station with a lorry park Ross-bound and I noticed one on the opposite side not far from the Star. I didn’t catch it’s name (was trying to remember the way into Broad Street at Ross without hitting the narrow one way system!)
I found it okay, then a hanball of 40odd bags on my own…
Muckaway:
Dave, you’re right about the Highway Star, there was another filling station with a lorry park Ross-bound and I noticed one on the opposite side not far from the Star. I didn’t catch it’s name (was trying to remember the way into Broad Street at Ross without hitting the narrow one way system!)
I found it okay, then a hanball of 40odd bags on my own…
That used to be a cafe Nathan,but its just a filling station and Spar shop now.
Cheers Dave.
I had an excellent large breakfast with a mug of coffee (£6.95) that came with several slices of toast at Kates’ Cabin this morning. Lovely and clean, polite staff and spacious. I shall definately stop here again.
Muckaway:
Dave, you’re right about the Highway Star, there was another filling station with a lorry park Ross-bound and I noticed one on the opposite side not far from the Star. I didn’t catch it’s name (was trying to remember the way into Broad Street at Ross without hitting the narrow one way system!)
I found it okay, then a hanball of 40odd bags on my own…
I was in Ross over last Christmas for the first time in fifteen years & couldn’t believe just how much the place had changed. Luckily I was only in a car so I didn’t cause too much hassle trying to find my way around. Seems only yesterday that you could pull up in the street in a lorry and nip into a shop! And park outside the café in Cantilupe Road!
Anyone remember Harry Hawk’s on the A13 at Barking seem to remember it more like a corner shop ■■■ cafe, I was only about five at the time but Harry had this massive parrot in a cage squawking everytime someone came in, my Dad always stopped here after loading at Lawes fertilizers in river road Barking
Can any one tell what the story is with the “windrush” , I remember going in there with my dad as a kid, it was always packed, bit smokey though . 
The smoke and the steam was part of the atmosphere, Jakey!
The old place is in ruins now. I’ve often wondered who owns it.
Retired Old ■■■■:
The smoke and the steam was part of the atmosphere, Jakey!
The old place is in ruins now. I’ve often wondered who owns it.
The “ruins” are the unfinished Windrush Heights Hotel. I went past it last Monday and two men were drilling test holes around the site. I heard from somewhere the site had been sold and given permission for a new services.
A case of “watch this space” then, Muckaway?
I called in at Donnington Park at J23a M1 yesterday, and found that it’s now a Harvester! All I wanted was a cuppa and a sarnie, but finished up with fish and chips, and herself had a burger. £19.96!!! And neither of us finished the meal, cos it just wasn’t good. I did complain, but the bloke in the shirt and tie started spouting corporate-speak, so I left him to it.
The only other choice there now is Burger King, and that’s not my taste either, so next time it’ll be the café down the road for a bacon butty.
I remember calling in the Windrush a few times many moons ago when we ran camshafts and tappets from the Forest to Fords at Dagenham most nights of the week, it was your typical ‘greasy spoon’ and it was great. Always warm and cosy. Then they ripped it down, I think it was in the mid '80’s and the vacant site was used by a burger type van from Gloucester I think. Next it was vacant again and then they threw up that monstrosity that’s there now…
Me.Paul.101:
I remember calling in the Windrush a few times many moons ago when we ran camshafts and tappets from the Forest to Fords at Dagenham most nights of the week, it was your typical ‘greasy spoon’ and it was great. Always warm and cosy. Then they ripped it down, I think it was in the mid '80’s and the vacant site was used by a burger type van from Gloucester I think. Next it was vacant again and then they threw up that monstrosity that’s there now…
Looks more like a derelict “Monastery” now.
Another one that springs to mind is the Golden Arrow,between Marlborough and Hungerford on the A4.Think it was some kind of Mexican steak house for a while? :but its been a half finished Indian restaurant for about 10 years.
Sad, isn’t it? There must have been at least a dozen decent cafes between Gloucester and High Wycombe in years gone by.
I’ll just go and shed a few tears into my Banks’ bitter.
Retired Old ■■■■:
Sad, isn’t it? There must have been at least a dozen decent cafes between Gloucester and High Wycombe in years gone by.
I’ll just go and shed a few tears into my Banks’ bitter.
Don’t water your Banks’ bitter down and make it weaker than it already is ROF 
Your back teeth will be floating before you get ■■■■■■ supping that brew 
Cheers Bewick.PS ever tried Jennings “Sneck Lifter” 
Bewick:
Retired Old ■■■■:
Sad, isn’t it? There must have been at least a dozen decent cafes between Gloucester and High Wycombe in years gone by.
I’ll just go and shed a few tears into my Banks’ bitter.Don’t water your Banks’ bitter down and make it weaker than it already is ROF
Retired Old ■■■■:
Sad, isn’t it? There must have been at least a dozen decent cafes between Gloucester and High Wycombe in years gone by.
I’ll just go and shed a few tears into my Banks’ bitter.
There was one near Northleach almost opposite the Puesdown Inn beside the A40. It later became a Little Crap (sorry Chef) and is now a house that retains the tacky Little Chef red trim under the bargeboards.
I remember the replacement tea van for the Windrush; Mid '90s it was dragged into the site by an old tractor-looked worse than the crumbling shell of the cafe.
Hi ROF with ref to the cafes between Cheltenham and High Wycombe on the A40 the ones I can remember from travelling as a “bwoy” were :- Northleach on the lights opposite the prison, The Windrush, Minster Lovell, San Remo at Eynsham, Last Chance at Wheatley, Lantern at Milton Common, Blunts at Stokenchurch ,Chris’s just before the top of Dashwood Bank ,Madge’s at Beaconsfield or Loudwater? and a few more before Denham or Uxbridge which I can’t remember, maybe you can fill in the blanks- Regards
Hi, LD,
Until you jogged my memory I must confess that I had forgotten most of the names of all those cafes although I could take you to every one! The reason I originally mentioned High Wycombe was that for years after the M4 opened we used to drop down from Beaconsfield to Slough to run East into London on the motorway.
Muckaway, that café opposite the Puesdown was usually chockka with Ken Thomas’ Volvo F10s. Maybe the Windrush wasn’t posh enough for them!
Laurie Dryver:
Hi ROF with ref to the cafes between Cheltenham and High Wycombe on the A40 the ones I can remember from travelling as a “bwoy” were :- Northleach on the lights opposite the prison, The Windrush, Minster Lovell, San Remo at Eynsham, Last Chance at Wheatley, Lantern at Milton Common, Blunts at Stokenchurch ,Chris’s just before the top of Dashwood Bank ,Madge’s at Beaconsfield or Loudwater? and a few more before Denham or Uxbridge which I can’t remember, maybe you can fill in the blanks- Regards
The mention of Dashwood Bank brings back memories of vibrating down it in “Silent Seventh” then trying desperately to slow the plot down enough to get it back into gear before the right-hander at the bottom! Such professionalism 