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Best of British?
Page 28
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A report by a group of European motoring organisations has once again shamed Britain's motorway service areas. Our snapshot survey of these essential watering holes looks at whether they're that bad.
Reading Services, M4 Moto
There was a wide range of food from Burger King to Harry Ramsden's fish and chips.The surroundings were nice and modem but were let down by being dirty.There was one waitress clearing tables but we struggled to find a clean one.The toilets were clean but a number of locks were broken.The site only has two showers and one of these was out of order. There's more emphasis on families than drivers, with kids' play area inside and out.
Tony Cook from Honintonbased Bale Tankers said: "It's a convenient place to park but they are overpriced. MSAs have tried to improve over the last few years but not fast enough. There's still is too much emphasis on people in tin boxes with too much money." Tea: Small, £1.29; large, £1.40. Sandwiches: From £2.49. Pie and chips: £5.99. Fish & chips: £4.99. Parking:Free for two hours;£12.50 thereafter, inc £6 meal voucher.
Membury Services, M4 Welcome Break
There's a waitress service restaurant as well as Burger King and KFC. The food court was clean and tidy; the toilets were modern and spotless — there were even fresh flowers.
Tea: £1.95 (pot). Fish & chips: £6.95. Parking: £12.
Sandbach Services, M6 Roadchef
We found a good selection of food with a restaurant, Wimpy and Costa coffee. Hot chocolate and a raspberry muffin came to £3.80 but the chocolate was spilt by the attendant so there was more on the tray than in the cup. The fire alarm went off and everyone was instructed to go outside but most customers ignored it and the staff didn't seem to have much idea about whether to evacuate everyone.
Tea: £1.80. Parking: £15 with £7.50 meal voucher; £10 without.
Scratchwood Services, M11 Welcome Break The MSA was clean and spacious with three cash machines, a Burger King, coffee house and a Granary/ Bakery for hot and cold food.The toilets looked cleaner than they smelled.The showers were locked; we were sent in search of a cleaner who had the key.
Mark Burgon, a driver for TDG said: "It's not brilliant here. The prices for sandwiches are outrageous." Burgon generally uses Moto service because his company gets meal vouchers in exchange for fuel purchased. Tea: £1 .75. Hot meal: £5.49£6.99. Sandwiches: £2.69-£2.99. Baguettes: £3.45.Parking: £15 with £6 meal voucher,£12.50 without.
Toddington Services, MI Moto
MOTO won a .Loo of the Year' competition in 2003, according to a certificate hanging outside the toilets. Two vases of flowers were no match for the eye-watering odour but the showers were open and the place is relatively clean.
Jim Preston of Matt McLanachan Transport approves of the Marks & Spencer shop on site: "I can buy ready-made meals for my microwave."
He had driven from Arnhem in the Netherlands and describes UK MSAs as "all the same — bad". Preston points out that overnight parking is free on the Continent while meals are generally better quality and cheaper.
Tea: £1.79. Hot meal: £4.99-£6.99. Sandwiches: £3.49-£.3.79 (M&S from £1.40). Parking:Free for two hours, £11.00 for up to 24 hours with meal voucher or £8 without.