HELLO, I’m Wayne Hayes and there isn’t a service station I’ve haven’t visited in my well-maintained Dacia Sandero. These are indisputably the best:
No. 10: Hamilton M74 Roadchef
An obscure one, granted. But to sit at 7am with a pot of tea and lightly buttered wholemeal toast considering whether to take the M8 to Glasgow or check my fuel status and forge onwards to Perth is as delicious a pickle as the farm-fresh varieties sold in the conveniently-situated shop.
No. 9: Peterborough A1(M) Extra
Not strictly on a motorway, but the A1(M) Extra Services at Peterborough are an essential pit stop if travelling northwards. After that it’s a gruelling seventy-four mile journey to Blyth, which will test the fortitude of the most robust of bladders.
No. 8: Wales Sarn Park M4 Welcome Break
The Goldilocks of service stations; it’s just right. Modest and comfortable in every way, if you’re journeying from Cardiff to Swansea or vice versa, Sarn Park Services at Bridgend are a welcome break. See what I did there?
No. 7: Exeter M5 Moto
My favourite south-west Services, as it’s the last one before the M5 donates a lane back to the land and transforms into that most British of roads: the ‘A’. Stock up on provisions: it’s a long ride from here to Truro.
No. 6: Cobham M25
My favourite shopping mall? Cobham, on the M25. With 1,000 parking spaces and thirteen food outlets, it’s a family day out. A sensory thrill ride without the chaotic hustle and bustle of the frankly mismanaged abomination that is Hilton Park on an August bank holiday.
No. 5: Norton Caines M6 (toll) Roadchef
Receiving an M6 (toll) experience day voucher for my 60th, I was straight up to Norton Caines. I was impressed by the sweeping majesty of the roof design and pleasantly surprised at how few people were here at 6.30am. I now understand why a motorist would pay a fee to use a quicker route and then spend the saved journey time here, not driving.
No. 4: Birch M60 Moto East and West
Straddling the M60, yet nestled almost invisibly amongst the concrete carnage of four motorway interchanges rests this humble sanctuary. Meek, mild and unassuming, Birch doesn’t need to boast. My personal best: relieved, fed, watered, and mints purchased, all in under 17 minutes. Beat that, Newport Pagnall.
No. 3: Reading Services M4
Walking in under that pyramid entrance is like walking into the Louvre, though better as you’ve not had to go to France. The floor-to-ceiling glass frontage gives a singular view of the car park, in all its human variety. As good a services as it gets in spite of there being a public piano available for use.
No. 2. Tebay M6 Cumbria
The sublime serenity of Tebay makes it a spiritual experience. A tranquil, ambient, zen-like atmosphere best savoured while devouring a Cumberland sausage and admiring the duck pond. Better than the Lake District. Should I take a wife again, the ceremony would take place in the food court of this blessed land. And the honeymoon too.
No. 1: Rugby M6 Moto
Costing a staggering £40 million, the Services at Rugby are the jewel in Moto’s crown and they know it. Modern, stylish, with lickably clean toilets and a well-maintained car park without a hint of dogging. If Michelin gave stars for motorist experiences, I’d award Rugby three, then take one back for being a show-off.
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