Planning permission for Tatton services has been given today, https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...-m56-tatton-cheshire-ref-3345318-5-march-2025 has the details.
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Motorway services discussion
- Thread starter PTR 444
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R
RailUK Forums
I do like the growth of coffee shops on A roads - thanks Starbucks franchises but have to admit to missing Little Chefs from when they were in their prime. Nobody else gives me a lollipop for clearing my plate and endless coffee refills!
On the motorways I like the idea of having the coffee shop in the car park such as Costa at Wetherby or the Starbucks at the one on the M42 south of Birmingham where you can have a break but avoid the hassle of the main services where 3 coaches have arrived just before me!
For services I do like I have to say Gloucester M5, Killington Lake M6 and the unofficial services at Markham Vale M1. I find Trowell M1, Tamworth M42 and that one in the middle of the M62 ok.
Least favourite are Tibshelf M1 (scary access roads) Washington A1M south (horrible with even scarier access roads)
So glad I don't have to drive much
On the motorways I like the idea of having the coffee shop in the car park such as Costa at Wetherby or the Starbucks at the one on the M42 south of Birmingham where you can have a break but avoid the hassle of the main services where 3 coaches have arrived just before me!
For services I do like I have to say Gloucester M5, Killington Lake M6 and the unofficial services at Markham Vale M1. I find Trowell M1, Tamworth M42 and that one in the middle of the M62 ok.
Least favourite are Tibshelf M1 (scary access roads) Washington A1M south (horrible with even scarier access roads)
So glad I don't have to drive much
Vexed
Member
Yes those can be quite nice. As well as indoor seating they often had a drive though round the back of the building in my experience, such as Fleet on the M3.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
@Bletchleyite will be pleased, as I've just called at Gloucester Northbound (sitting in the car park as I type) and they've started stocking over-the-counter medicines in the main building!
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Good stuff. It was a bizarre omission and not great when I had a splitting headache!
Euro Garages seem to have opened a load of mini services recently which are quite handy. One is at the end of the dual carriageway at Finmere. It's more like a giant petrol station than a full services, but it has toilets and a reasonably sized Co-op as well as a Subway and I think a Greggs (some are branded Asda, not sure why they use more than one brand). Prices aren't marked up like they normally are at services either, I bought a large bag of sweets and it was just over a quid rather than the usual motorway services three quid.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Asda is owned by the same brothers who own Euro Garages. Presumably they decide which brands to use where based on what else there is in the area. It would be a bit pointless using the Asda brand at a petrol station if there's an Asda superstore down the road that has a petrol forecourt.
Though that hasn't stopped them doing exactly that in Taunton. I used to work at that superstore, and remember being told they'd been refused permission for a forecourt due to the National Hydrographic Centre being nearby (though knowing exactly what the issue was, was above my pay grade and still is!). However when I passed there during my visit I noticed they now have a forecourt on site- though there's also an Asda branded petrol station a few hundred yards down the road (which was charging 5 pence more per litre of fuel).
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
That one has a small area of seating for Subway but not a lot else.