No, to enter the lounge you need to have a First Class Advance ticket for a Virgin Train from that station. If the Advance ticket is for XC or TPE, then you can't enter.
This has been discussed recently-the rules for VT are that you can use the lounges if you have any ticket that is valid for immediate travel on VT from that station or if you have arrived from a VT service-any tickets including VT only advance tickets can be used to get into the lounges.
I think the only exception is as noted Euston where there is an agreement with Scotrail there.
The EC lounges only allow tickets valid on EC routes and there is usually a charge-think it's £5-for advance tickets.
I'm not sure about other TOC's but noticed recently that the EMT lounge at Nottingham was closed at about 5 pm and only opens until 12-no good if you're travelling in the afternoon or evening!
I used the EC lounge at Wakefield last month and couldn't believe how small and dreary that is-guess it's better than a long wait on the platform on a cold winter day!
The Euston lounge is excellent and the showers there are a good idea if wanting to change and freshen up before or after a trip.
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East Midlands Trains will, generally, let you into their lounges with an XC or TPE ticket. Indeed, Virgin themselves will let first class Scotrail sleeper passengers use their facilities at Euston. There is probably an agreement regarding that though.
I am travelling to Sheffield today with TPE in 1st-although wont have time to try the lounge on arrival I am thinking I might try to use the ticket on the way back to get in although I'm travelling on a Standard XC ticket from there-if they accept them generally then that should be ok-think it's a new lounge isn't it-haven't tried it so would be good to try it even if only for 15 mins.
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Yes, you can, but I've noticed that the staff expect you to take the next available service (which is a bit of a nuisance when they are every 20 minutes!). You could always say that you need to do some important business "work" in the lounge! (After all, the 5 minutes to Stockport won't be long enough!)
As they usually allow you to use tickets to get into lounges on arrival at the station perhaps a Stockport to Manchester ticket would work-then you can say you've just arrived from Stockport and wish to use the lounge
I can't understand why they ask u to get the next train-it's nothing to do with them-either impose a time limit or just say nothing-they seemed to be be a little suprised when using a Manchester to Milton Keynes ticket so would like to see their reaction to using a Stockport ticket!
I have to say having used the lounge when travelling on longer VT trips haven't tried it but if there was over a 1 hour wait and I didn't feel like a beer or a coffee sounds like a good plan.
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However EMT always accept "TPE ONLY" First Advance tickets for access to their lounge in Sheffield.
A quick update from my visit to Sheffield on Wednesday-had a Preston to Sheffield FDS route TPE-went straight to a meeting then got train to Coventry-SDS so having 15 mins to spare tried to get in the 1st lounge on platform 5 with the Preston ticket.
The customer service assistant seemed a bit unsure and asked where I was travelling so explained that I had arrived from Preston with 1st class ticket and wanted to use the lounge wi-fi that's there-she asked what train am I planning to get so said it's in 15 mins-she then said ok help your self to drinks and snacks.
So I'm really unclear as to whether the ticket should have allowed me in and she was unsure or if it shouldn't have allowed me in but she was showing discretion!
The lounge was ok-not VT standards but reasonably sized with selection of hot drinks, orange juice and bottled water and also biscuits.
I wouldn't pay to get in there but if u have a 1st class ticket and have spare time then it's ok-a lot better than the EC Wakefield lounge I was in the other week-now VT need to open lounges at Warrington, Wigan, Lancaster, Carlisle and Preston
I quite like the Liverpool Lime Street First Class lounge - I went for the first time last week. It is "manned" (for most of the time), but only by a cleaner (I think) who isn't bothered about which train you take or how long you stay. (Although she must have wondered what I was doing after I'd been in there for 3 hours! 
I paid three visits to the New St lounge alone that day. 
