Motorway service areas

[ufkacbln]

To all the folk complaining that they are expensive and you only go there to have a rest (free), go to the toilet (free).

You do know these facilities cost the operator money to provide for free for you don't you? That's why the sandwiches and petrol are relatively expensive. To pay for the free stuff

There is fair profit and excessive profit........


I remember back in the 70s, a group of use were on a coach, and one of the girls bought a coffee - there was a "minimum charge" which doubled the already high price

Easy answer was to put with someone else's order, but she was not allowed to.... Manager insisted she had to pay, so all 20 of us left our stuff and walked out

 

[Brandane]

To all the folk complaining that they are expensive and you only go there to have a rest (free), go to the toilet (free).

You do know these facilities cost the operator money to provide for free for you don't you? That's why the sandwiches and petrol are relatively expensive. To pay for the free stuff

The same shops and food outlets seem to manage to provide toilet facilties at other outlets without having to charge premium prices, yet they still have rent and rates to pay on the High Street.
Should we really be grateful that we are allowed to park and use the manky toilets for free (up to 2 hours usually) at motorway services? They are welcome to start charging if they like, I will just make a point of not stopping at them.

 

[screenman]

There is fair profit and excessive profit........


I remember back in the 70s, a group of use were on a coach, and one of the girls bought a coffee - there was a "minimum charge" which doubled the already high price

Easy answer was to put with someone else's order, but she was not allowed to.... Manager insisted she had to pay, so all 20 of us left our stuff and walked out

Could you let us know how much profit they make? Profits and margins are often not the same thing.

 

[TVC]

The same shops and food outlets seem to manage to provide toilet facilties at other outlets without having to charge premium prices, yet they still have rent and rates to pay on the High Street.
Should we really be grateful that we are allowed to park and use the manky toilets for free (up to 2 hours usually) at motorway services? They are welcome to start charging if they like, I will just make a point of not stopping at them.

If it takes you two hours yo use the toilet then you might need to go and see your doc.

Toilet quality is very variable, Keele is one where they have refurbed the loos on the northbound and they are most acceptable, on the southside however they are yet to be done and are pretty wretched.

 

[Brandane]

If it takes you two hours yo use the toilet then you might need to go and see your doc.

What I meant was that parking is free, but most of them start charging after 2 hours. In the case of lorry drivers taking their daily rest break of at least 9 hours they end up paying upwards of £15 (last time I did it was at Cherwell Valley and it was £25 IIRC). Most but not all haulage companies will pay that charge.
For your average Joe in his tin box, 2 hours is sufficient to have a dump, something to eat, and some shut eye; but don't sleep in or it could be expensive!

 

[vickster]

I occasionally use the service stations and am always disgusted at the state of the toilets. However, I'm not directing my criticism at the cleaning staff, but at the dirty general public who leave a horrible mess behind them.

Whether it's spitting in the hand basins, using too much toilet paper and thus blogging it, water everywhere on the floor, WTF is wrong with people?

I don't generally eat anything,except for a bar of chocolate and a coffee, and take a bottle of water for the car/bus.

Not observed the above issues with the toilets, but then I'm not using the gents. Maybe it's the male general public who are dirty

 

[mybike]

The latest fashion with service areas seems to become a vast high warehouse building with seating and franchise outlets scattered around. This makes for an incredibly noisy environment. The quality of the food seems to have deteriorated from the high it reached and I prefer to buy M&S or Waitrose sandwiches and a coffee to eat in the car.

I tend to use Pease Pottage a lot, demand there has exceeded facilities although they have expanded. It really needs rebuilding.

 

[snorri]

I can still remember a visit to a UK motorway service station in 1986 when travelling home from a holiday in Canada where I had become accustomed to clean modern facilities and 'Customer Care'. Yeuk

 

[Sandra6]

We very rarely use them, unless someone is caught short and it's the only option.
Journeys under 3 hours we do in one go, and if we're driving further than we plan a stop along the way for a picnic or to go to the supermarket to stock up.

 

[Spinney]

I usually stop at one with an M&S store, as you can get good value sandwiches if you stick to things like egg and cress. And get a large tea from Costa, and sit in the car with it. There are some nice ones where you can sit by a lake, but I can't remember which ones now - on the way to Scotland, and I haven't been north of Cumbria for a few years now!

 

[Brandane]

There are some nice ones where you can sit by a lake, but I can't remember which ones now - on the way to Scotland

Tebay northbound?
Killington lake southbound has a nice view over a lake too; but it is down a steep hill and a bit of a hike.

 

[User482]

Possibly the best service area now is Gloucester Services AKA Telly Tubbie Land, owned and run but the same people that run Tebay. Most of the food there is sourced from the local area, but can be on the expensive side.

My parents are there right now: I have given them a substantial pie order.

 

[mark st1]

Beaconsfield services has a pub,McDonald's,kfc,Greggs,Nando's And shows the football. I could live there if push came to shove.

 

[Brandane]

Beaconsfield services has a pub,McDonald's,kfc,Greggs,Nando's And shows the football. I could live there if push came to shove.

It's also got M&S Simply Food, and an Ibis Budget hotel if you fancy going there for your holidays.

 

[Brandane]

It's also got M&S Simply Food, and an Ibis Budget hotel if you fancy going there for your holidays.

Hmmmmm.... There's actually some quite nice cycling around Beaconsfield and the Chilterns IIRC, and that there London is quite do-able as a day trip!