Completely off topic but having a debate with a mate and thought I’d see the opinion on here.

What do you reckon is the best UK service station? I said Keele with Warwick a close 2nd.

Tebay

Tebay, without a doubt.

The worst is Hilton Park.

It's usually a p*** stop for us on away matches but Tebay is a bit different and would get my vote. Last stopped there on the way to Aberdeen.

Tebay by a motorway mile

Volvoclaret wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 5:54 pm

Tebay by a motorway mile

Never been but just googled it, that does look miles ahead!

Gloucester just pips Tebay (owned by the same group I think).

The standard all service stations should be at.

Tebay 100%

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 6:02 pm

Gloucester just pips Tebay (owned by the same group I think).

The standard all service stations should be at.

Just googled it and it is owned by the same company as Tebay

You're having a laugh...

It's Kitchens on Trafalgar St - no question. Them girls are proper smart in their uniforms... chocolate bargain offers on the till counter, AdBlue at the pumps, brilliant.

Used to be up and down the M1, A1, M42 & M40 every week and best ones for me were Peterborough, Oxford and Beaconsfied.

Warwick was decent and liked the oddity of the hotel room windows looking into the inside of the service station cafeteria bit at Donnington Park

Tebay and Gloucester are good but can draw you into strange purchases. Why I felt the need to travel home with a Leg of Pork from Gloucester is anyone's guess

Another vote for Gloucester.
A bit pricey, but very high quality healthy food.

Annandale Water on M74 or is it only the A74 whichever or Moto Stafford North on M6

M6 toll or Warwick for me.

Once stranded on Scratchwood Services on way home from Millwall in the 70s when the car broke down, 2 nights !!......I avoid it at all costs, might be ok now but, it's not getting my vote.

Same again for Gloucester. The only problem is that you need deep pockets.

Only been open a year or so, Skelton Lake east of Leeds the M1.

M6 Toll or Warwick services on M40
Ps and yes I forgot Gloucester on M5, that's excellent.

Knutsford

Cobham

This is what happens when forum moderation is left to the gloved hands of Alan Partridge.

Hilton Park...purely for the sheer joy one moment post- Bristol City away (Christmas 2008) brought to the people in the car.

ClaretAndJew wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 5:44 pm

Tebay

As someone who’s probably visited 80% of them in the uk, it’s in the top 3, beautiful setting and farm shop

Steak & ale pie fantastic

The Enclosure wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 6:41 pm

M6 Toll or Warwick services on M40
Ps and yes I forgot Gloucester on M5, that's excellent.

Good shouts!

Worst are those on the A1

Some decent adult shops though

NewClaret wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 6:02 pm

Gloucester just pips Tebay (owned by the same group I think).

The standard all service stations should be at.

I agree and it’s a disgrace that lorry drivers have to pay those prices

Tebay and just off M6 at A5 direction Brownhills 2miles along is the Hollies an all night truck stop open every day except Xmas

Zwijndrecht carrefour. The petrol bit is absolute rubbish (although cheap) but it's a nice supermarket.

timshorts wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 8:24 pm

Zwijndrecht carrefour. The petrol bit is absolute rubbish (although cheap) but it's a nice supermarket.

Is that the one just before you go under the river into Antwerp?

What's that one on the M5 with a fan club - Strensham?

Another vote here for Gloucester. I regularly travel down to Plymouth and I aways try to call off.

When did this messageboard turn into Mid Morning Matters?

Burnley1989 wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 7:43 pm

Good shouts!

Worst are those on the A1

Some decent adult shops though

I think I saw those on the way up to our game at Newcastle the other year.
I wasn't quite sure I'd seen it right until the return journey and saw them again

OK Diner and a jizz mag - no better way to break up that long journey up the A1

The butty van padiham byepass utc

Donington....The Harvester is / was Excellent value.in 2019 was shut during this covid situation.

Another vote for Gloucester. Historically though, as a 44 year old man Corley was awesome - it had a play park, fast food and everything!

Stafford North is known as "the beautiful lake" in my house .....decent Costa,where they used to have the newspapers to read, and a Greggs

Devils_Advocate wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 8:34 pm

Is that the one just before you go under the river into Antwerp?

Yes, that's the one. There's often a massive queue of traffic. Going in to fill up is like a pitstop under a yellow flag those days.

I was going to say the one up the M6 near the lakes but now I know it’s called Tebay

In terms of more traditional services, wetherby is quite good

Pump 3 is my favourite (for Partridge fans)

Norton Canes, without a doubt.

VIP experience with it being on the toll.

Tebay for me. Always stop there for breakfast en-route to St Andrews.

CaptJohn wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 9:26 am

Tebay for me. Always stop there for breakfast en-route to St Andrews.

That's a hell of a diversion en route to Birmingham.

Stalbansclaret wrote: ↑

Sat May 29, 2021 11:55 am

That's a hell of a diversion en route to Birmingham.

Not if you live in Dumfries it isnt

Tebay, Westmorland is on its iconic own.

Gloucester
Decent food, usually stop there on way to Glastonbury or SW. Sit out the back overlooking the pond

Surprised the new one in Leeds hasn’t had even a mention, Skelton Lake on the A1/M1 link east of the City. Not sure it is fully open yet though.

Birch must be in the running for the worst.

lakedistrictclaret wrote: ↑

Fri May 28, 2021 5:47 pm

Tebay, without a doubt.

The worst is Hilton Park.

Not only do I agree with you - and there are few if any of the motorway services in the UK that I've not used - but if the same question had been asked 20, 30 or even 40 years ago, I'd probably still have given the same answers; admittedly Tebay always used to be a bit expensive, even by motorway standards for fuel so it might on occasion have been marked down, but Hilton Park's always been the absolute pits!
Does anyone remember Hilton park when it was newly opened and was it tired and filthy even then? My nadir (many years ago admittedly) at HP was ordering a steak pasty with veggies, which on being served I discovered that the pasty was not only mouldy, but an apple one too (not good once covered with gravy) when I returned it for a replacement, I was instead offered nothing beyond a 50 pence discount/refund; I've never risked anything beyond a refuel and coffee in there since.