Motorway Services

There are plenty of nice pubs or even random newsagents just a minute or so from most motorway junctions (Junctions are there for a reason). They are much better than service stations. Only folk to lazy to find out what's near them use motorway service stations.

In your case with Gordano Services, you should have gone on for another 5-7 minutes to J20/Clevedon. A lovely little Victorian town with a pier. There's a big 24hr Tesco with fuel exactly one mile from the junction.
 
I only stop to wee, or fill the car with fuel. So my only complaint is the price of the fuel.

When fuel allowed, I would drive from Southampton to Windermere in one long run. Between 4 and 6 hours on the road.
 
I spend a sodding fortune at them as im one of the lazy ones, I always like the fancy coffee's which you cant really get quickly if you venture away from the motorway. Mind starbucks/costa arent exactly cheap on the high street.Work pay for my stops so its not raping my pocket, but I can see that being clamped down upon soon:(

I must say sometimes its just nice to stop and chill. I might just start making packed lunches to take with me!
 
[TW]Fox;14987107 said:
perhaps they'd not drive quite so tired if they could pick up a coffee for highstreet prices or perhaps schedule a re-fuel at regular prices?
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But the high street doesnt have to fork out huge amounts of cash to create access roads, parking and large amounts of land for the concessions. This obviously has to be paid for and recouped.

I agree that the prices are outrageous and yes we are a captive market to a certain extent, just like airport prices are pretty much the same but they have associated costs unlike many normal comparable retail outlets that people often overlook.
 
r3loaded said:
Erm, pack your own food? Just pack sandwiches, biscuits + vacuum flask of coffee, stop at services and enjoy in your car ;)
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^^This tbh.

Only reason I pull in at services is to stretch my legs, visit the loo and eat the food I have already got with me.

There's no way I would normally eat the crud they serve at services anyway. It's absolutely rank. :D
 
clv101 said:
There are plenty of nice pubs or even random newsagents just a minute or so from most motorway junctions (Junctions are there for a reason). They are much better than service stations. Only folk to lazy to find out what's near them use motorway service stations.

In your case with Gordano Services, you should have gone on for another 5-7 minutes to J20/Clevedon. A lovely little Victorian town with a pier. There's a big 24hr Tesco with fuel exactly one mile from the junction.
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I think you've got it wrong here. You don't use motorway service stations that are local to you, just the ones that are miles away that you only go to in the middle of a long journey. They don't have the time to go getting lost and potentially not find an alternative.

It's hardly lazy if you don't have time to go exploring or to not think of using google streetview and spending ages scrolling through that looking for shops.
 
r3loaded said:
Erm, pack your own food? Just pack sandwiches, biscuits + vacuum flask of coffee, stop at services and enjoy in your car ;)
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Yep.. Thats what the Girlfriend and me do!!... well two vacuum flasks - 1 with Hot Water and a small one with Milk and a pot with Teabags!... Cos Tea (or Coffee) with milk in a Flask will go minging!!.. :D
 
Berger said:
As I drive a lot for work, I would probably stop and use the services if the prices weren't such a joke.
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As would a lot of people I would have thought. Thereby making them more money and able to have decent food on and not school canteen rubbish that's been sitting out all day. They might even end up with a profitable business!
 
I usually take my own stuff for the journey, however recently i stopped on the M6 for diesel and thought i would pick up a bottle of water too.

1 litre of volvic was £1.99!!!!!!

Why is water more expensive that diesel?
 
stoofa said:
There is an excellent book called "off the motorway" I believe (I have a copy, but vannot remember it's full title).
It lists all the places for food etc that are off the motorway networks, but not so far into towns you get lost etc.
For example it lists all the Tesco stores that are "just off" the motorway etc.

Excellent book - means we can always avoid motorway services.
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this and

r3loaded said:
Erm, pack your own food? Just pack sandwiches, biscuits + vacuum flask of coffee, stop at services and enjoy in your car ;)
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this.



Start of the Journey id pop to my tesco, fill up, buy a drink, sandwich, sausage roll etc. Then id stop in services to eat MY food, not rip off stuff.

NEVER buy petrol/food from motorway services. They only charge so much because people are stupid enough to pay it. Use sites like petrolprices to find the cheapest petrol stations along the route, as said in the first quote, they can sometimes be right next to the motorway, not needing massive detours that void the savings. Plus most petrol stations these days have mini shops anyway so you can get the food there.
 
[TW]Fox;14987107 said:
Sure, Rover416i is being wreckless and frankly pricing is no excuse for not having a break but there are millions of people like him - perhaps they'd not drive quite so tired if they could pick up a coffee for highstreet prices or perhaps schedule a re-fuel at regular prices?
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This was in the day, after a full nights sleep, no way I'd do it tired without stopping.

Was about 5 hours, not too long without a break IMO.
 
osc89er said:
I think you've got it wrong here. You don't use motorway service stations that are local to you, just the ones that are miles away that you only go to in the middle of a long journey. They don't have the time to go getting lost and potentially not find an alternative.

It's hardly lazy if you don't have time to go exploring or to not think of using google streetview and spending ages scrolling through that looking for shops.
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No, I don't mean near where they live! I mean near the junctions. Spend a minute planning ahead, plan where to stop. Fox should have planning to stop at the J20 Tesco rather than the services on J19 of the M5. The same can be said for most motorway services, there's a nicer, cheaper place VERY nearby.
 
prices are a joke and i never could figure out where all that money went. Well, we all know really - it doesnt get spent on the service stations themselves thats for sure. It should all be regulated, but until (if) that day comes, just dont use them unless you have to lol.
 
Government won't do anything, I'm sure they rake it in on the extra VAT and corporation tax generated by these places.

As other people have said, don't bother buying anything there unless you absolutely have to (carry a can of Red Bull for instance instead of stopping for a coffee if you are tired). M&S prices at these places don't seem too bad, and more of them are cropping up so rather than BK or KFC have a sarnie. Also, as others have also pointed out, load your tat nav with POI's of petrol stations near to motorways.
 
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