Motorway services discussion

[stuu]

It is a few services south of Gloucester on M5 and looks like it is trying to replicate the style. For a number of years these services have been close to the bottom of various quality ratings, although how much it improves them only time will tell.

Are you thinking of Bridgwater? Sedgemoor is a normal/average nondescript services, I don't remember it being ranked badly, although I might be wrong

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Yes, which makes it even less comparable to Little Chef.

Who was comparing Roadchef (the MSA operating company) or Sedgemoor services specifically, to Little Chef (the defunct roadside restaurant chain)?

The only similarity is the word "chef" being used in the brand.

EDIT: I now see where the confusion might come from- a post on the very first page where a user had typed "Little Chef" when it only makes sense if they'd meant to type "RoadChef".

That post itself is full of other errors though: RoadChef certainly were not the only MSA (Motorway Services Area) operator that had a restaurant, as all MSA are obliged to provide this.

Still not quite sure why Little Chef is even being brought up on this thread, seeing as they (a) no longer exist; (b) were not a Motorway Services company; and (c) were overpriced garbage... (On second thoughts, that third point does check out! )

 

[Russel]

I'll be traveling down to Devon on Sunday, so I think I'll call into Gloucester services on the way down for a coffee and a cake, after talking about it in this thread!

On that note, I've just checked Google for the distance to Gloucester services from me and spotted that it's not open 24hrs, only 06:30 - 22:00, is this correct? I was under the impression that motorway services had to be open 24/7?

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Are you thinking of Bridgwater? Sedgemoor is a normal/average nondescript services, I don't remember it being ranked badly, although I might be wrong

When the M5 first opened Sedgemore was just a 'rest area' - full facilities weren't provided until a few years later. Bridgwater is a pain as it is some way off the motorway - and the exit was (is it still?) through a multi-storey car park which caused complete chaos in summer.

Exeter is a bad one as you have to negotiate the notorious Sandygate Roundabout - it and Cullompton further north were due to be replaced with a new facility midway but this is dependent on a new M5 junction.

 

[jfollows]

I'll be traveling down to Devon on Sunday, so I think I'll call into Gloucester services on the way down for a coffee and a cake, after talking about it in this thread!

On that note, I've just checked Google for the distance to Gloucester services from me and spotted that it's not open 24hrs, only 06:30 - 22:00, is this correct? I was under the impression that motorway services had to be open 24/7?

It is; the filling station is open 24 hours a day and it’s allowed to use just that during some hours of the day.

Visit | Gloucester Services Farmshop & Kitchen | M5 Gloucester

Visit us. Opening hours. Families. Accessibility. Parking. Dogs. Free wifi. Free cash machines. Kids menu.

gloucesterservices.com

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I'll be traveling down to Devon on Sunday, so I think I'll call into Gloucester services on the way down for a coffee and a cake, after talking about it in this thread!

On that note, I've just checked Google for the distance to Gloucester services from me and spotted that it's not open 24hrs, only 06:30 - 22:00, is this correct? I was under the impression that motorway services had to be open 24/7?

https://motorwayservices.uk/Opening_hours:

All British motorway service areas must be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing parking, fuel, hot drinks and snacks. The smaller service areas will tell you to go to the petrol station to get a machine-made coffee and a sandwich, while the bigger ones will have a dedicated coffee shop and newsagent open through the night.

 

[Russel]

https://motorwayservices.uk/Opening_hours:

A machine made coffee, petrol station sandwich and maybe a few pence change from a tenner if you're lucky... Lovely!

 

[TheTallOne]

When the M5 first opened Sedgemore was just a 'rest area' - full facilities weren't provided until a few years later. Bridgwater is a pain as it is some way off the motorway - and the exit was (is it still?) through a multi-storey car park which caused complete chaos in summer.

Exeter is a bad one as you have to negotiate the notorious Sandygate Roundabout - it and Cullompton further north were due to be replaced with a new facility midway but this is dependent on a new M5 junction.

Yes, I had the misfortune of using Exeter recently. So confusing trying to leave.

 

[Russel]

When the M5 first opened Sedgemore was just a 'rest area' - full facilities weren't provided until a few years later. Bridgwater is a pain as it is some way off the motorway - and the exit was (is it still?) through a multi-storey car park which caused complete chaos in summer.

Everything about Bridgwater is truly awful.

 

[styles]

Who was comparing Roadchef (the MSA operating company) or Sedgemoor services specifically, to Little Chef (the defunct roadside restaurant chain)?

The only similarity is the word "chef" being used in the brand.

EDIT: I now see where the confusion might come from- a post on the very first page where a user had typed "Little Chef" when it only makes sense if they'd meant to type "RoadChef".

That post itself is full of other errors though: RoadChef certainly were not the only MSA (Motorway Services Area) operator that had a restaurant, as all MSA are obliged to provide this.

Still not quite sure why Little Chef is even being brought up on this thread, seeing as they (a) no longer exist; (b) were not a Motorway Services company; and (c) were overpriced garbage... (On second thoughts, that third point does check out! )

It was a quote from yourself which led to this tbh:

Little Chef was never any better than the canteen type restaurants found at regular services, they were successful because they were the only option for many years. Funny how they don't get tarred by the same brush as the "mainstream" MSA operators like Roadchef despite having a very similar operating model.

This whole thing is based on this comparison between Little Chef and Roadchef in this comment when the two are completely different things.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Jul 2025 ==

Everything about Bridgwater is truly awful.

The Marston's pub is fine, I mean, for a Marston's pub anyway.

 

[Noddy]

It is; the filling station is open 24 hours a day and it’s allowed to use just that during some hours of the day.

Visit | Gloucester Services Farmshop & Kitchen | M5 Gloucester

Visit us. Opening hours. Families. Accessibility. Parking. Dogs. Free wifi. Free cash machines. Kids menu.

gloucesterservices.com

I imagine the main building is open 24hrs for the loos and I think they have a drinks machine in there too. Plus the Quick Kitchen is open 24hrs on Thursday, Friday and Sunday according to link.

 

[Topological]

When the M5 first opened Sedgemore was just a 'rest area' - full facilities weren't provided until a few years later. Bridgwater is a pain as it is some way off the motorway - and the exit was (is it still?) through a multi-storey car park which caused complete chaos in summer.

Exeter is a bad one as you have to negotiate the notorious Sandygate Roundabout - it and Cullompton further north were due to be replaced with a new facility midway but this is dependent on a new M5 junction.

Thanks for the reviews.

Sedgemore is a sensible stop if there has been a lot of traffic, otherwise I use Taunton Deane. I have an aversion to service stations that are off the motorway at junctions (as opposed to having their own entry/exit).

Being in Swansea means going north the M5 is joined from the M50 and that misses Gloucester.

 

[The exile]

I imagine the main building is open 24hrs for the loos and I think they have a drinks machine in there too.

It’s not

 

[Dave W]

I have an aversion to service stations that are off the motorway at junctions (as opposed to having their own entry/exit).

Me too! Except Gordano which I've always liked, and Pease Pottage because it marks the halfway point on the way to the in laws down near Portsmouth (coffee v much required for that!) - since I come off the M23 there anyway it isn't too much of a pain.

 

[The exile]

I have an aversion to service stations that are off the motorway at junctions

Especially since they seem to choose the most complex junctions to locate them at and then have minimal signage that never seems to allow for the fact that if you need signage at all it means you’re probably totally unfamiliar with the layout.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Especially since they seem to choose the most complex junctions to locate them at and then have minimal signage that never seems to allow for the fact that if you need signage at all it means you’re probably totally unfamiliar with the layout.

I don't mind them provided they are directly off the junction roundabout with the ability to rejoin immediately. The one by the A50 is a pain as because you can't immediately rejoin the motorway so a stop, even for a quick use of the toilet, costs you something in the order of 10-15 minutes.

 

[Dave W]

See also: Tamworth, which I always seem to get stuck in a queue to get off!

 

[stuu]

I have an aversion to service stations that are off the motorway at junctions (as opposed to having their own entry/exit).

I once stopped at Birchanger Green services on the M11 which has a an odd layout where you have to do another lap if you need fuel after you go to the services. The queues to come in blocked the queue to the petrol station which in turn blocked traffic trying to leave, so the whole site was gridlocked. Took ages to sort out. Never stopped there again

 

[Topological]

Me too! Except Gordano which I've always liked, and Pease Pottage because it marks the halfway point on the way to the in laws down near Portsmouth (coffee v much required for that!) - since I come off the M23 there anyway it isn't too much of a pain.

Never been to Gordano. Maybe one day I will have to try it. It is just too tempting to get to the M49 and over the bridge by the time I am near Gordano.

Which does remind me that Magor is a junction based service station, but needs must and all Welsh M4 services are junction based.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jul 2025 ==

Especially since they seem to choose the most complex junctions to locate them at and then have minimal signage that never seems to allow for the fact that if you need signage at all it means you’re probably totally unfamiliar with the layout.

Quite. After being in motorway driving mode, the simpler the better.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jul 2025 ==

I don't mind them provided they are directly off the junction roundabout with the ability to rejoin immediately. The one by the A50 is a pain as because you can't immediately rejoin the motorway so a stop, even for a quick use of the toilet, costs you something in the order of 10-15 minutes.

This is where Magor scores highly. Heading towards Cardiff the services are just the right-hand turn from the roundabout. Left is a genuine road and the other two exits are the M4. Heading East towards Bristol, Magor is the first exit and you are on the right side to then rejoin the roundabout and take the first exit to rejoin the M4. Because of the junction layout there only 2 lanes go under the roundabout so the left lane becomes the slip road to the roundabout. You can even end up passing the services by accident.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jul 2025 ==

I once stopped at Birchanger Green services on the M11 which has a an odd layout where you have to do another lap if you need fuel after you go to the services. The queues to come in blocked the queue to the petrol station which in turn blocked traffic trying to leave, so the whole site was gridlocked. Took ages to sort out. Never stopped there again

Very strange layout. Another one to add to my list to avoid. Thank you.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Re difficult access to/from services - the new ones off the M1 near Rotherham are an absolute nightmare

 

[Noddy]

It’s not

You are quite right, it even gives the main building toilet and showers opening hours further down on the website. What I don’t understand is how that tallies with the Quick Kitchen (which is in the main building) being open 24hrs on some days.

Here’s an photo of the southbound one (not my image):


(Image shows the Quick Kitchen and hot drinks machine in the main building of Gloucester southbound services).

I think those of us with EVs need to have a word-the filling station isn’t great if you want to charge your EV and it’s pouring with rain.

 

[styles]

You are quite right, it even gives the main building toilet and showers opening hours further down on the website. What I don’t understand is how that tallies with the Quick Kitchen (which is in the main building) being open 24hrs on some days.

Here’s an photo of the southbound one (not my image):

View attachment 185156
(Image shows the Quick Kitchen and hot drinks machine in the main building of Gloucester southbound services).

I think those of us with EVs need to have a word-the filling station isn’t great if you want to charge your EV and it’s pouring with rain.

May be imagining it but I'm sure last time I was there at an unsociable hour, they just had shutters to cut off access to the rest of the main building.

 

[The exile]

May be imagining it but I'm sure last time I was there at an unsociable hour, they just had shutters to cut off access to the rest of the main building.

Northbound was certainly completely closed off last time I was there at about 3.00 on a Saturday morning.

 

[TheTallOne]

I've stopped at glocs and just gone to the petrol station some times, it's got loos and a coffee machine etc. plus if it's tipping down with rain you can get out of your car without getting soaked.

 

[Cloud Strife]

But the main problem with MSAs is the absolutely terrible food on offer. For a while I was trucking both years ago and quite recently and the quality of what is on offer has deteriorated horrendously since I first did it in 1982.

Honestly, at least at British MSAs, you can at least get into a building and sit down in peace. Polish MSAs are almost all universally horrible: almost always some sort of fast food place, a crowded petrol station and that's your lot. A handful do have proper restaurants, but they're few and far between, and the general British/German style MSA with several shops is unheard of. It's an incredibly frustrating experience on a long journey where you might want to sit and chill out for a while, but there's nothing but a crowded petrol station cafe or an equally crowded fast food place.

The problem is caused by the operating model: each MSA must have 'food' and 'fuel', but the concession is given to the highest bidder with no consideration of quality. The end result is that the vast majority have been taken over by fast food chains, because they're able to generate the turnover needed. There are some honourable exceptions, such as the Żarska Wieś MOP (Miejsce Obsługi Podróżnych - essentially "travellers service area") which has proper restaurants on both sides as well as other facilities, but this place makes an absolute fortune from Poles that are stopping there before or after the border with Germany. After that one, I'm not sure that there's a single proper restaurant between there and the Ukrainian border, which is a travesty.

The one good thing about Polish MSAs and rest areas on motorways/expressways is that they're built with a huge amount of parking spaces, with plenty of space to walk around, and there's no restriction on the time that you can spend in one.

 

[styles]

Honestly, at least at British MSAs, you can at least get into a building and sit down in peace. Polish MSAs are almost all universally horrible: almost always some sort of fast food place, a crowded petrol station and that's your lot. A handful do have proper restaurants, but they're few and far between, and the general British/German style MSA with several shops is unheard of. It's an incredibly frustrating experience on a long journey where you might want to sit and chill out for a while, but there's nothing but a crowded petrol station cafe or an equally crowded fast food place.

Not sure it should be a race to the bottom though. I'm sure driving through Chad isn't great without your own lunchbox, but we can aspire to better than what some other countries offer.

I drove quite a bit in Iceland recently and away from the larger town/city routes you can go hours without a service station, and when you do find somewhere to eat, it'll often be a daytime-only affair. I wouldn't advocate for it though.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Thanks for the reviews.

Sedgemore is a sensible stop if there has been a lot of traffic, otherwise I use Taunton Deane. I have an aversion to service stations that are off the motorway at junctions (as opposed to having their own entry/exit).

Being in Swansea means going north the M5 is joined from the M50 and that misses Gloucester.

That section of the M5 seems to have services provided more frequently than many stretches, presumably due to the large volume of holiday traffic. Between Bristol and the Motorway's end near Exeter (around 80 miles) there's Gordano, Sedgemoor, Bridgwater, Taunton Deane, Cullompton and Exeter.
Some of those are better than others though: Gordano is okay when it's quiet, Sedgemoor is fine but unspectacular, Bridgwater is terrible, Taunton Deane is fine southbound but a bit cramped northbound (though I'm a little biased as I used to work there)... Cullompton is far too cramped but at least you can watch trains from the car park! Exeter is the only one I have never used.

 

[Topological]

That section of the M5 seems to have services provided more frequently than many stretches, presumably due to the large volume of holiday traffic. Between Bristol and the Motorway's end near Exeter (around 80 miles) there's Gordano, Sedgemoor, Bridgwater, Taunton Deane, Cullompton and Exeter.
Some of those are better than others though: Gordano is okay when it's quiet, Sedgemoor is fine but unspectacular, Bridgwater is terrible, Taunton Deane is fine southbound but a bit cramped northbound (though I'm a little biased as I used to work there)... Cullompton is far too cramped but at least you can watch trains from the car park! Exeter is the only one I have never used.

Collumpton is only northbound as well.

Although I agree it links to the number of holidaymakers using the M5, the services always seem busy enough.

I am lucky not to have to use the M5 too much in the summer holidays.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Collumpton is only northbound as well.

Although I agree it links to the number of holidaymakers using the M5, the services always seem busy enough.

I am lucky not to have to use the M5 too much in the summer holidays.

It's accessed from a junction so you can use it from the Southbound side, it just isn't signposted.

 

[Noddy]

Exeter is the only one I have never used.

It can be pretty horrific in summer due to capacity issues in the building, and as it’s off the motorway in an industrial estate so you can get badly stuck in traffic getting in and out which is pretty annoying. As I understand it Devon County Council (and/or others) plan to close both Exeter and Collumpton and build a new set of services directly off the motorway in between. It sounds pretty sensible as it would enable better facilities all round and it would keep the motorway traffic away from the local roads.