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23 May, 2025
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The UK's best and worst motorway service stations according to Which? - full list
@Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The debate over which motorway services are the best in the country has been a regular topic in pub conversations for years now. Food and drink options, accessibility and even whether or not the facility houses arcade games are all important factors to take into account when weighing up which pitstop takes the crown for number one in the UK. Consumer comparison site Which? asked more than 4,000 of its members about their experiences of using service stations up and down the land. Their responses covered almost 9,000 visits and helped the site rank 90 service stations based on categories including prices in food/retail outlets, shops, food and drink selection, facilities, cleanliness, convenience and accessibility and outside space. Gloucester services on the M5 came out on top, receiving the highest customer score of 85 per cent. The services, which are part of the Westmorland Family, received five stars in almost every category. One visitor said: “If all motorway service stations were like Gloucester I’d be delighted to spend time at any". Another customer praised the services saying it was "head and shoulders above all the others that I've used". Westmorland Family services regularly top the consumer champions survey. Tebay M6 services in Cumbria followed closely behind Gloucester with a score of 77 per cent, while Cairn Lodge on the M74 in Lanarkshire received a score of 72 per cent. They both scored well in all categories but lost stars for price. Rugby’s Moto Services on the M6 in Warwickshire received an impressive score of 75 per cent and four stars across almost every category. One customer said Rugby was "a great service station. Why can’t others be like Rugby?". Another said "Rugby is new and clean and on a nice day is perfect to break up your journey". Rugby’s success marks the first time a station from a nationwide brand has been rated so highly. Nine of the 10 sites at the bottom of the table, however, are Moto brands - making Rugby’s success something of an outlier. Moto’s Bridgwater Services (J24) on the M5 took bottom place in the table. It scored 23 per cent and scored one star in all categories. As well as inadequate parking space, the facilities are cramped and have overpriced facilities that “look and feel filthy” and toilets that “smelt of stale urine”. Ken McMeikan, CEO of Moto, said: "During the past two years, we have invested over £50 million in refurbishing our service stations and building a new motorway service area on the A1M at Sawtry. "This substantial investment demonstrates our commitment to enhancing the experience for all our customers." Ken added. "We value customer feedback and are resolutely committed to addressing any concerns. "In addition, four years ago, we opened our Motorway Service Area at Rugby, with an investment of over £40 million. We are delighted to see it ranked in the top three, affirming the impact of our investment and vision for this site." Which? also found service stations were charging customers high prices for convenience. Of the 90 service stations in the survey, only Westmorland’s managed to muster more than a two-star rating for prices in its food and retail outlets. After visiting Rugby services, Which?’s undercover inspectors drove just two miles to a retail park to see how much they could save on their purchases. Unleaded petrol was 28p a litre cheaper, saving £15.40 on a standard 55-litre tank. A Greggs sausage roll was just £1.30, compared to £1.65 in the services (a 27% markup) and a small Costa coffee was £2.90, compared to £3.50. To avoid paying over the odds next time you fill up on a long journey, download the PetrolPrices app, or use its website , to find the cheapest filling station along your route. Roadchef also had a mixed showing in this year's rankings. Norton Cane, Killington Lake and Annandale Water all scraped into the top ten thanks to good food and drink and shop options. Watford Gap, Sandbach and Hamilton, however, can be found at the bottom end of the table, with the latter not even earning a single star for price, shops or outside space.
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