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Britains Best Service Station
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00:04Termostations are the unsung heroes of every British road trip.
00:09Whether you're grabbing a quick bite to eat or taking a well-deserved break from your travels,
00:14these road time retreats have become more than just a loo break.
00:17They are a way of life and everyone has their favourites.
00:25Number two, Beaconsfield.
00:26No way.
00:28Well, I know you're number one then.
00:29This is an absolutely top-tier service station.
00:32Probably rugby's greatest contribution to society.
00:34I also really use service stations as an excuse to,
00:36oh, I'm going to have to eat out today, I'm driving, I can't make food.
00:42I'm hitting the road in search of the UK's ultimate service station.
00:46Mine's T-Bay.
00:48Cale Lodge.
00:48Weatherby.
00:49Leicester Forest East.
00:50Skelton Lake Services.
00:52Wathroom.
00:52Beaconsfield, Beaconsfield, how do you pronounce it?
00:54Because it's got the best KFC.
00:58I'm going to be filling up on food.
01:00So the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
01:04Leicester now.
01:05And checking out all the facilities.
01:08Free parking.
01:09Can't get any better than that.
01:12I'll be delving into their extraordinary history.
01:15There were loads of great stories about, you know,
01:17Freddie Mercury streaking in the car park.
01:20Meeting the characters that keep them running.
01:22So he's just trying to pair them back up again.
01:25Using Moss, the sheepdog.
01:27And hearing from some of the millions of us who use them every day.
01:30My favourite service station is Watford Gap.
01:33You don't even drive.
01:35And everyone's allowed an opinion.
01:39Before revealing which service station has beaten off all the competition to be crowned best.
01:47Welcome to Britain's favourite service station.
01:56I spend a lot of time on the road.
01:59Whether that's touring with my JLS boys.
02:03Or in the car with my family.
02:08And I have to say, I do love a good service station.
02:12And I'm not alone.
02:13For many of us, they've become a bit of a guilty pleasure.
02:17Since their arrival on our motorways in 1959.
02:22They've really become a part of our lives.
02:24In fact, service stations have become part of the DNA of our day trips.
02:29In this 2019 Christmas special.
02:32Sitcom favourites Gavin and Stacey.
02:34Had a thing or two to say about their favourite service stations.
02:37I tell you what.
02:38It's a clacking motorway, the M4.
02:40Right there, Bryn.
02:41I tell you, the service is just part of the choice.
02:43Phenomenal.
02:44Oh, not Heston, mind.
02:45No, no, not Heston.
02:46Obviously.
02:46Only a fallen stop at Heston.
02:48Cheevle, you like.
02:49It's sensational.
02:50I'm a Lee Delamere man.
02:51First class.
02:52Second to none.
02:52And just like Uncle Bryn, we all have an opinion on our perfect pit stop.
02:58In fact, some people get very excited about them.
03:01Here I am at my favourite service station.
03:04Birch Services on the M62 near Rochdale.
03:07My hometown.
03:09So Clackett Lane is our very favourite place to stop on the motorway.
03:13We like to have a nice little picnic with the dogs on the start of our journey.
03:17Free parking.
03:19Can't get any better than that.
03:21And look at that.
03:21A purse box.
03:22Leeds Skelton Lakes on the M1 is probably one of the best I've seen.
03:27And it's also got Nando's and I love my chicken.
03:29Don't we all?
03:32There are 97 official service areas across the UK, with many of us admitting to driving
03:38a little bit further to get to our favourite.
03:41But with so many to choose from, I want to know which one tops the which pole as the nation's
03:47favourite and why.
03:49I'm going to be starting out at my personal favourite, which is Common Services on the M25.
03:54Now I live in Kent, so for me, it's the perfect place to stop and pull over with the kids
03:59for a quick dinner, quick toilet break, before then finishing the final leg home.
04:06These services, run by Extra, aren't just busy.
04:10They're booming, with more than 5.5 million visitors a year.
04:15That's the population of Scotland.
04:18There's 980 car park spaces here, over a dozen food outlets, and a workforce of 360 people
04:24servicing this mega operation, from cleaners, to caterers, to shop assistants.
04:31And behind the scenes, there's a whole other world that you might not even know existed.
04:40This is a control room that monitors all of the footfall that comes through Common Services.
04:44And by law, every single service station in Britain has to be open 365 days a year,
04:507 days a week, 24 hours a day.
04:53So Mark here is part of a round-the-clock operation.
04:56You alright, Mark?
04:57I'm alright, thank you.
04:58Busy day?
04:59Yes, it is very busy, yeah.
05:01You heard it here first.
05:05But what I really want to know is, beyond the takeaway coffee and the toilet,
05:09what actually makes a service station worth pulling over for?
05:14To find out, I'm meeting the aptly named Jo Rhodes, yes that really is her name, from
05:19consumer group Witch.
05:20Some people are so enthusiastic about their favourite service stations, that they're actually
05:25planning their journeys around them, to enable them to stop there.
05:29So what is it we love so much about them?
05:31We actually surveyed drivers and travellers about their experiences of service stations.
05:38And the things that we found were really important to people were the cleanliness, the range of shops,
05:44of food, accessibility.
05:47People don't want to be driving around in circles.
05:50What is it about this service is?
05:51It's one of my favourites.
05:53It was really well rated for the choice and the quality of food outlets.
05:58And in the Witch survey, it is the best service station on the M25.
06:03We'll take that.
06:04Best on the M25 is pretty decent.
06:06But is it best in Britain?
06:09Or will be revealed later?
06:12But first, we're heading north to find out about a pit stop with a big difference.
06:20It's got a huge TV lounge, a laundry room, and a games room.
06:26Welcome to the world of HGV truck stops.
06:29For someone who'd never been to a truck stop before, I think they'd be blown away by the
06:34total difference versus what you get at a motorway services.
06:37The dedicated kind of facilities, the rest areas, and all the home comforts that you don't
06:41really get at the big motorway guys.
06:44Tucked just off the M53 near Chester, Formula Services isn't just a truck stop.
06:49It's basically a hotel for lorry drivers where they bring their own bed.
06:53And all for just £31 a night.
06:56The food's great.
06:58Bar's great.
06:59You know, we have been in the lounging area watching the football.
07:02I definitely need to get myself an HGV licence.
07:05Truck stops like this show just how far our roadside facilities have come across the board.
07:13They're no longer just concrete and car parks.
07:16Around the country, our service stations are embracing nature and getting greener.
07:26You may think I'm just taking a walk beside a beautiful lake in a remote and rural setting.
07:31But if you listen carefully, you can hear the M1 just to my right.
07:36And a short two-minute walk in that direction will take you to Leeds Skelter Lake Service Station.
07:43Situated in the Eyre Valley, around six miles from the city centre, these services opened in 2020 and in the
07:51which poll were voted best on the M1.
07:54Well, one of the first things that strikes me as you walk into Leeds Skelter Lake Services is how bright
08:01it is.
08:01You walk in here and it feels very, very open.
08:05It feels like there's lots of room, lots of space.
08:08There's lots of families.
08:09And judging by how busy the car park is, you can tell that it's a real by-product of what
08:15they're trying to achieve here, which is very unique.
08:20It's got all the usual food and retail spots inside.
08:23And outside, there's lots of green space to stretch your legs.
08:27Oh, and your dog's legs too.
08:29But upstairs, there's something I've never seen in a service station before.
08:34An RSPB viewing platform.
08:37We thought this was a fantastic opportunity to connect people with the work that we do in the area, but
08:42also give people the opportunity to connect with nature.
08:45Because research does show that spending time in nature and wildlife does reduce stress levels, calms you down.
08:52Food for the soul.
08:54And it's a relatively new service station.
08:56And I'm looking outside, onto the roof.
08:58We're at the very top of the station.
09:00And there's grass on the roof.
09:02So it's got a very unique design.
09:04Absolutely.
09:04How's it been designed to fit in with the local surroundings?
09:07So these living roofs, you'll see, fantastic for wildlife.
09:10You'll see lots of wildflowers at the height of summer, which is great for insects and invertebrate life.
09:15And it does tie in with the area as well.
09:17It doesn't stand out like a big metal object in the middle of a natural environment.
09:21And what sort of connection has it had to the local wildlife here, and bird life in particular?
09:26We see Skelton and the Air Valley as a fantastic opportunity for birds to stop off in migration.
09:32So at this time of year, summer birds are coming back, warblers, we might get an osprey passing overhead.
09:37It's like a motorway service station for wildlife.
09:40Birds can stop off, refuel, carry on with the migration.
09:44So Leeds' Skelton Lake is a firm favourite with our feathered friends.
09:48But did it top the pole as the nation's favourite?
09:51Stay tuned for more service station shenanigans as we meet the superfan who loves them so much.
09:56He spent £10,000 in one year visiting them.
10:01An exciting experience for everybody, not just kids.
10:05It's kind of a mini shopping centre on the side of a motorway.
10:08Enjoy, have a lovely day.
10:09I'll be trading motorways for Meadows.
10:12But don't be adjusting a TV set just yet.
10:14This isn't springtime on the farm.
10:16This is a show all about service stations, and who knew that I'd be starting my day on a hill
10:20farm?
10:21We'll be remembering roadside dining in the 80s and 90s.
10:25Little chef and happy eatable.
10:27Really exciting and very memorable places.
10:29Well, I had nostalgia about them, and I never, ever got to eat in one.
10:33And we'll be revealing which service station has been crowned Britain's favourite.
10:38Don't mind me.
10:40We're taking a break of my own.
10:54Welcome back to Britain's favourite service station.
10:56Believe it or not, the average Brit will spend up to 30 days of their life at one.
11:02That's a whole month loitering by the loos and latte machines.
11:07So it's no wonder that we all have our preferred places to pull over.
11:11What's your favourite service station?
11:13Killington Lake.
11:14Fantastic.
11:15You look out across the lake and, oh, I just think, oh, I'm in God's country.
11:19Good service station should have clean toilets, good staff, and lots of food.
11:25My favourite service station is Rotherham.
11:28What it reminds us of when we go to Las Vegas, the food all there is very much like this.
11:33The decor's exactly the same.
11:34Up and down the country, everyone has their favourite, including the JLS boys.
11:40South Mims on the M25 is where you'll find all of us before we start out on tour.
11:46It is the perfect place for us all to meet because we all live in different parts of London.
11:50It's central for when we're travelling up north.
11:53And it's great because it's got clean toilets, it's got great food options.
11:57I mean, what's not to love?
12:00But JLS aren't the only band to hang out at service stations.
12:04It's a tradition that goes way back.
12:07My next stop is at a service station steeped in musical history, Watford Gap,
12:12which, in a bit of brilliant British logic, isn't actually in Watford at all.
12:17It's in the East Midlands.
12:21Originally called the Blue Boar, this is said to be the UK's very first motorway service station.
12:26And today, I'm meeting author John Grinrod for a quick history lesson.
12:32So, when they opened the M1 in 1959,
12:35they knew that they were going to need service stations along it
12:38because you need somewhere where you can fill your car up,
12:40especially given that at that time, in the sort of 50s and 60s,
12:44cars were much less reliable than they are now.
12:46They used to break down all the time.
12:47Am I right in thinking this is the oldest service station?
12:49So, there's a bit of rivalry between which one's the oldest.
12:52So, Watford Gap and Newport Pagnall both opened up more or less exactly at the same time.
12:58So, when Watford Gap opened its doors,
13:00it was just basically a hut and a petrol pump, and that was it.
13:03Now, service stations have always been a massive part of my life,
13:06certainly my working life.
13:07As a musician, I understand that Watford Gap in particular
13:10has had some very famous visitors over the years.
13:13I mean, Watford Gap in the 1960s was the place to hang out if you were a rock star.
13:20It's so odd to think of that now when you're here,
13:24but actually, you know, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Small Faces,
13:29like, all the really big bands in the 60s, they all stopped here.
13:33There were loads of great stories about, you know,
13:36Freddie Mercury streaking in the car park,
13:38or there was a waitress who told this great story
13:41about how she got the Rolling Stones kind of barred
13:44because they made such a mess with their fish and chips.
13:47They had to then eat in the transport cafe.
13:49They weren't allowed in the posh restaurant anymore
13:51because they were too anarchic.
13:54Life at Watford Gap these days may be more sausage roll than rock and roll,
13:58but it's still a round-the-clock operation for busy site manager Matt.
14:03This is the business end of the service station, isn't it?
14:06This is the business end, mate. This is where we're taking the deliveries in.
14:09You've just caught me at the right time, mate.
14:10Do you mind giving me a hand? I've got a pallet load here.
14:12Yeah.
14:12We'll wheel this one to here.
14:13All right.
14:14Just so it's closer.
14:15Can you just come round here, this side?
14:18Working part of the team, though.
14:19Yeah, come on, just up here, man.
14:21All right.
14:21Let's go.
14:22Only get five minutes to put this away.
14:23We're on time in the motion.
14:24Grab some of those boxes for me and just come round here with it.
14:27Can't you lift more than that at once?
14:30Runs a tight ship here.
14:30There you go, buddy. Just put it on top of there if you don't mind.
14:32How often would you get a delivery like this?
14:34To Leon, we get seven days a week.
14:36The other brands are different, so every day is a delivery day.
14:39It's fair to say Matt and his team have to work hard to keep this place running smoothly.
14:45It's very secure back here, isn't it?
14:47Extremely.
14:47We need to ensure that the customers can't get through to an area they shouldn't.
14:50And this is where it all happens.
14:51This is the heartbeat.
14:52It is.
14:53It's like the heart of the service station, isn't it?
14:55It's got a much more of a buzz around it as well today, maybe.
14:58Yeah, so on this side of the road, our busiest day of the week is a Sunday, 12 o'clock
15:02onwards.
15:02On the northbound side, it's Friday, so it's everyone going home and everyone coming back,
15:06traveling on the weekends on a Sunday, but our peak times are definitely events.
15:10You know, if you're playing at Wembley, you get a lot of bands coming down.
15:13You have thousands and thousands of people in there at once.
15:16We have to be on our A-game here.
15:18For Matt and his 300-strong workforce, there's clearly a real sense of pride working at this
15:23iconic location.
15:26What's it like to work in a place like Watford Gap?
15:28Oh, it's brilliant, to be honest with you.
15:29We get people come in and obviously sort of comment about the history, comment about the
15:34old rock and roll years, because being at Watford Gap, we actually become part of that
15:37history as well.
15:38What's the most famous face that you've seen here?
15:40Probably Joanna Lumley.
15:42I've seen quite a few, to be fair.
15:43Ian Wright.
15:44I've met the Italian rugby team.
15:46Ozzy Osbourne.
15:47Anthony Joshua.
15:48Gary Windass from Coronation Street.
15:51Eddie Azar.
15:51He's supposed to say J.B. Gill.
15:54It's all right.
15:55It's okay.
15:56I can handle being outshone by Ozzy Osbourne and Joanna Lumley.
16:00Because the truth is, service stations are great levellers.
16:04Places where pop stars, plumbers and politicians all cross paths.
16:10So you never know who you're going to meet.
16:13And for 63-year-old Mick from Derby, a chance encounter with a stranger at Newport Pagnell
16:19services turned out to be the luckiest pit stop ever.
16:24I went around the back of the car and it was then I felt this pressure on my chest.
16:28It's like being hit by something really hard, but the pressure doesn't release.
16:32Whether I knew it was a heart attack, then I don't know.
16:34I really don't know.
16:36But I remember saying distinctly that I don't want to die.
16:41Then Fate intervened in the form of an off-duty paramedic parked right next to him.
16:46And he knew exactly what was happening.
16:50So he asked my wife to dial 999.
16:53He said he would look after me, which thankfully he did.
16:59Mick was swiftly transported to Oxford Hospital and he underwent emergency life-saving surgery.
17:05I'd have been going up the road race, 70 mile an hour.
17:11My wife in the passenger seat.
17:13And if I'd had a heart attack then, it doesn't bear thinking about it.
17:17It really doesn't.
17:19But I just happened to stop at Newport Pagnell.
17:24So I wasn't driving and a paramedic was there.
17:27How lucky is that?
17:29How lucky is that?
17:31Not just lucky, life-saving.
17:33And a reminder in life that sometimes we need to slow down.
17:38Back in Watford Gap, author John Grinrod's remembering a time before the convenience of fast food,
17:44when service stations encouraged us to stick around a little longer.
17:47If you came here sort of in the early 80s, you wouldn't have, you know, McDonald's or Greg's
17:54or any of the things that you expect to see at a service station now.
17:57It's a much more sit-down meal type phenomenon.
18:01You would have proper plates and cutlery.
18:03That sort of made it feel more of an experience.
18:05They were an event, especially if you were a kid.
18:08I mean, I remember as a kid, we never went anywhere where you went and ate out.
18:13Like, you just didn't do that.
18:14There wasn't something that was ever on the radar.
18:16But Little Chef and Happy Eater were, like, the closest you ever got to that.
18:21So they were really exciting and very memorable places.
18:24You sort of end up having a lot of nostalgia about those places
18:27and feeling very kind of warm about them as a result.
18:29Well, I had nostalgia about them and I never ever got to eat in one.
18:32So there you go.
18:34Yeah, I might never have gotten to eat in the Little Chef,
18:36but I do remember their TV adverts,
18:39which captured the charm of British roadside dining at the time.
18:43Well, I'd like eggs and bacon.
18:46I'd like toast and jam.
18:49I'd like prawns and salad.
18:51Cos we're all Little Chef fans.
18:54It was a snapshot of a totally different era.
18:56But by 2018, Little Chef closed for good.
19:00Tastes had changed and people wanted food on the go.
19:05But at Ram Jam Services on the A1,
19:08right side is betting we're ready to slow down again.
19:12When I was a kid, the highlight of the journey on a Friday evening
19:15was stopping at a Little Chef on the way to Suffolk.
19:18It was probably one of my earliest memories of stopping
19:22and actually having a meal in a restaurant.
19:25The menu in Decor has been designed with a nod to the past,
19:29encouraging motorists to enjoy a hearty meal and a break from the road.
19:33Usually you've just got your Burger Kings,
19:35your McDonald's, your Starbucks, things like that.
19:37You don't really see that many of, like, American-style diners.
19:40The decor in here is unique.
19:42It's kind of a Stranger Things, 70s, train carriage-y thing going on
19:47and it's relaxed and uncool.
19:52So maybe the sit-down roadside meal isn't over
19:55and perhaps the change in the way we power our cars might help.
20:02Here at Stevenage, there's not a whiff of petrol or diesel.
20:06It's fully electric.
20:08EV charging can take anything from 15 minutes to an hour,
20:12depending on the type of car.
20:13So that leaves you with more time to spend at the service station.
20:17To be honest, this is the best service place I've been to so far.
20:21You can actually come and wait here while you're charging the car.
20:24Usually you have to sit in the car.
20:26I can come and even sit, you know, read a book.
20:28I can come and do my work as well.
20:30Oh, I think this setup has encouraged us to spend much longer at a service station
20:33and also it's just a more pleasant experience.
20:36I almost sort of look forward to coming here
20:38and I wouldn't say that about any of the other traditional stations.
20:41EV charging points are growing in popularity
20:44with over 73,000 now available in the UK.
20:49Although electric vehicles are now forcing a more leisurely stop,
20:54the fact of the matter is for most people, including myself,
20:57convenience is king.
20:58And when I'm on the road, I like to get in,
21:01get what I need and get back out again
21:04in as little time as possible.
21:06The question is, just how quick can you do it?
21:11I think you know what's coming here.
21:12It's challenge time.
21:14Start the crop.
21:18All right, you wait there.
21:20I'll be back.
21:22Oh, these toilets are nice and clean.
21:24Bonus.
21:25All right, that's efficient and relieved.
21:27Now it's time for some coffee.
21:30Hi there.
21:31Hey, how are you doing?
21:31You all right?
21:32Thank you, yeah.
21:32Please may I have a vanilla latte?
21:34Drink it in or takeaway?
21:36Uh, takeaway, please.
21:37Quick fact, us Brits drink around 98 million cups of coffee daily
21:42and nothing fuels a road trip like caffeine
21:45unless you're the one needing the lube five minutes later.
21:48There we go.
21:48You putting sugar in?
21:49No, no, no.
21:50We've got enough in there.
21:51Sweet enough.
21:52There we go then.
21:52Thank you very much.
21:53Thank you so much.
21:59And stop the clock.
22:01All right, what did I get?
22:02Three minutes 40.
22:03Three minutes 40?
22:04See, I think that is very, very efficient.
22:07One of the things that frustrates me the most
22:09about stopping in the motorway
22:10is that you lose time
22:11if you've got a deadline to meet at your destination.
22:14So actually getting in in under five minutes,
22:17pretty good if you ask me.
22:21Coming up after the break,
22:22I'll be meeting some of the unexpected people
22:25who put the service into service stations.
22:29From butchers...
22:30How do you think I've done?
22:31You reckon I could become an apprentice?
22:33We'll have to work on you a bit, Avi.
22:35I'm going to work on you.
22:37And bakers...
22:39To barbershop shavers.
22:41And stay tuned to find out which service station
22:44is top of the pit stops.
22:45Where's your favourite service station?
22:47Scalperly!
22:49There you go.
23:00Welcome back.
23:01We're on a mission to find
23:03Britain's favourite service station.
23:05With the average driver pulling into about 11 a year,
23:09let's be honest,
23:09you've probably already got a favourite.
23:11And if you haven't,
23:13are you even British?
23:16When it comes to motorway services,
23:18most of us are used to the usual suspects.
23:20Phone chargers,
23:22massage chairs,
23:23sweets and snacks.
23:25But today I'm going to a service station
23:27that prides itself
23:28on being a little bit different.
23:30This is T-Bay Services in Cumbria.
23:34And I'm going to find out
23:36what the farm shop fuss is all about.
23:41T-Bay Services is a strong contender
23:43for the nation's favourite.
23:45It's not just a motorway stop.
23:47It's like a farmer's market
23:49right in the middle of the M6.
23:51You can fill up your car,
23:53your stomach,
23:53and if you're really keen,
23:55even book a hotel room
23:56or park up your caravan for the night.
24:01But the big difference here
24:03is that the service station produce
24:05comes straight from their farm.
24:08And that's where I'm heading first.
24:13So this is the heart of the services.
24:15This is where it all started.
24:16John and Barbara Dunning
24:17had this amazing farm.
24:19And in 1969,
24:21the motorway come through the farm.
24:22So they just took the chance there
24:24and they had the services
24:25built on the motorway.
24:27So it all began as a farm
24:28and then they decided
24:30to add in the service station.
24:32What a risk at the time
24:33and what an amazing risk it was.
24:36And it's obviously paid off.
24:39Well, listen,
24:39this time of year,
24:39I know it's going to be
24:40very, very busy on the farm.
24:42Do you need a hand with anything?
24:43Well, we're lambing
24:44and today's the first day of lambing.
24:46So we've got a few born this morning.
24:47So I think we better go
24:48and see how they're getting on.
24:50Perfect.
24:53Well, this is a nice break
24:54from the motorway traffic
24:58and not a Costa Coffee
24:59or Burger King in sight.
25:07So we had a few lambs born last night.
25:09And how are they getting on?
25:10Oh, there's one over there, actually.
25:12She doesn't seem to be with a lamb.
25:14She's got twins,
25:15but one of the lambs is sleeping.
25:16So we'll just go and
25:17take it back to its mum.
25:21So number two,
25:22so this was the second lamb born.
25:24Yeah.
25:25Up you go.
25:26I'll go and get its mother
25:27with my dog.
25:29We stand, walk, stand.
25:32We've got to stay together
25:33for obvious reasons,
25:34for safety, for protection,
25:36to make sure that the lamb
25:37continues to do really well.
25:39So he's just trying to
25:40pair them back up again.
25:41He's in Moss, the sheep dog.
25:43Stand.
25:44Good boy, Moss.
25:44That'll do good boy, Moss.
25:46This is a show all about
25:47service stations,
25:47and who knew
25:48that I'd be starting my day
25:50on a hill farm?
25:54This 900-acre farm
25:56supplies a service station
25:57with fresh produce
25:58for four and a half
25:59million visitors a year.
26:04So I want to find out
26:05if it lives up to the hype.
26:07Fans of Bake Off,
26:08you might want to look away now.
26:11Is this one of the
26:12best-selling cakes?
26:13Yeah, so we do two cakes.
26:15We ice two of them.
26:16One of them is the carrot cake
26:17and this one,
26:18and this one's,
26:18I think we've sold
26:19three full ones today,
26:20and they all get portioned
26:21into eight.
26:23A slice of this Victoria sponge
26:25costs £4.25,
26:27although considering
26:28it was handcrafted
26:29by yours truly,
26:30I'd say that's
26:31an absolute bargain,
26:32if not priceless.
26:35The jam we use is local.
26:37Everything's locally produced,
26:38so I think it's pretty worth it.
26:41So the proof of the pudding
26:42is in the eating.
26:43Here we go.
26:47Decent, that.
26:49Just call me the Mary Berry
26:51of motorway services.
26:55Next stop is T-Bay's
26:56butchery counter.
26:57Yes, that's right.
26:59This service station
27:00even has its very own butchers.
27:02They practice whole animal
27:04butchery here,
27:05so nothing from the animal
27:06goes to waste,
27:07not even the coats.
27:09You can buy those
27:10in the farm shop too.
27:12Hey Dave.
27:14How are you doing?
27:15All right mate,
27:15yeah, how are you?
27:16I'm very well, thank you.
27:17Did you ever imagine
27:18when you first started
27:19training here as a butcher
27:20that you'd be working
27:20in a service station?
27:21I always thought
27:22I'd be on the high street shop
27:23at some time
27:24but not in the service station.
27:26How does it differ
27:27from your experience
27:28at a high street butcher?
27:29If you're a high street butcher
27:30you've got Missy Jones
27:31coming and getting
27:32a pound of bacon
27:33and a pound of mince
27:34and a few sausages
27:35for the week
27:35and you know
27:36that's more regular
27:37but here it's quite a random
27:40so you might have nothing
27:41for an hour
27:41but then you get
27:42a customer come
27:43and spend £400.
27:44They're just looking
27:45for that centrepiece
27:46for the dinner table
27:47you know like
27:47full rib of beef
27:48or full leg of lamb
27:49for example.
27:50All right,
27:50so what have we got here then?
27:51Right,
27:52we're just a couple
27:52of shoulders of lamb here
27:53and we're just going
27:54to roll these up
27:55and watch your skills
27:57of knotting.
27:58This is going to be
27:59my first time.
27:59Oh is it?
28:00You need to show me the ropes.
28:01Okay,
28:01so I'll just briefly
28:02go through
28:03what we do.
28:04So you're coming over
28:06around,
28:07back around,
28:09over,
28:10under
28:10and back through there.
28:11Okay.
28:12And then knot it there.
28:14I may be a dab hand
28:15at farming and bakery now
28:16but would my butchery skills
28:18cut it at T-Bay?
28:20How do you think
28:20I've done?
28:21You reckon I could
28:21become an apprentice?
28:23We'll have to work
28:24on you a bit,
28:24I think.
28:25We're going to work on you.
28:26All right,
28:27but I think we'll get there.
28:28We've had bigger challenges.
28:31Skilled butchery,
28:34fresh produce
28:36and even the sausage rolls
28:37are handmade here.
28:39I think farm shops
28:40might have all the ingredients
28:41needed for a perfect pit stop.
28:44Really like the quality
28:45of what they provide here
28:47and I know it may be
28:49a little more expensive
28:50than some places
28:51but it's definitely worth it.
28:55I've travelled all over the UK
28:56being in the armed forces
28:57and stuff,
28:58so up and down
28:59stopping it off
29:00at the service stations
29:01and the food in there
29:04is lovely.
29:05Good prices.
29:06I mean,
29:07today I've just bought
29:07a Scottish breakfast.
29:08Can't beat it.
29:09Yeah.
29:12But it's not just T-Bay
29:13that's impressing
29:14its paying customers.
29:15Across the country,
29:17service stations
29:17have switched on
29:18to the shopping phenomenon
29:19and nowadays
29:20you can pretty much
29:21buy anything in them
29:22and I mean anything.
29:25Don't mind me.
29:27It's literally everything
29:28from a wetsuit
29:29to diving
29:29through to a milkshake
29:31to drink on the way
29:32to the event.
29:33I mean,
29:34it's a very dynamic change
29:36and a lot of that's been driven
29:37by us as consumers,
29:39what we want from these places
29:41and how we're using them.
29:42And like all retailers,
29:44this thought's gone
29:45into every detail.
29:46The services
29:47have to offer
29:48toilets,
29:49somewhere to grab a coffee
29:51and therefore retail spaces
29:53at a premium.
29:54Everything's going to be
29:55about creating
29:56maximum opportunity
29:57to buy
29:58and if you go into the stores,
29:59you'll see the cashier area
30:01is really full
30:02of lots and lots of items
30:04at a certain price point
30:04that we might just pick up.
30:06Even the journey
30:07through the service station
30:08is meticulously planned
30:10to encourage us
30:11to part with our hard-earned cash.
30:13So when we now head
30:14to the toilet stop,
30:16there's going to be
30:16a lot of posters
30:17and it's every single opportunity
30:20to buy on the path there.
30:2380, 90% of the purchases we make
30:26are something we make
30:27as a spur-on-the-moment decision
30:29so it actually still goes to show
30:31these are very savvy businesses.
30:36The evolution of service stations
30:37has led to them being
30:39far more than a quick place
30:40to stop on your journey.
30:43And what we've seen anecdotally,
30:45of course,
30:45is that people are using these
30:46as very intentional shopping spaces.
30:48If you've got a grocery store
30:50offer within there,
30:51chances are the prices
30:52might be premium.
30:53But if there are other advantages
30:54to the shopper,
30:56it could be that the parking's free,
30:57that the parking's really easy
30:59to access and in front of the store.
31:01You're not having to navigate
31:02a high street.
31:04It's fascinating.
31:04I think we're just going to see
31:06more and more of the development
31:07of services
31:08into much more
31:09of a retail offering.
31:12One independently run service station
31:15that's proving popular,
31:16offering everything
31:17from a pit stop pasty
31:18to a surfboard,
31:20is Cornwall Services,
31:22just off the A30.
31:24I like this service station
31:26because you've got
31:27most things here
31:28and it's easier for access
31:29because you can park here for free.
31:32All right, Joan.
31:33Hello, mate.
31:34Happy birthday.
31:35Thank you very much.
31:35I've got some fins for you.
31:37Amazing.
31:38Cornwall Services
31:38is definitely unique.
31:39There's not many service stations
31:41that will have
31:41an independent retailer
31:42like us in there.
31:43I used to come to Cornwall
31:44quite often to go surfing
31:45and whenever I did,
31:46I'd stop in the service station
31:48on my way home
31:48and we looked at this unit
31:50and thought it would make
31:51a great shop.
31:52How'd you get on
31:52with the other ones?
31:53Really good.
31:54Yeah, really stoked with them.
31:55Ah, that's good to hear.
31:56The benefit of being
31:57in a service station
31:58is the footfall
31:59and you get people
32:00from all walks of life.
32:01In Cornwall,
32:02the off-season can be quiet
32:03but they've come up
32:04with a clever idea
32:05to keep the place buzzing.
32:07I live just down the road
32:08and it's almost easier
32:10to come here,
32:11get my hair cut
32:11and then have something to eat
32:13and a cup of coffee
32:14in the building itself.
32:16For Arthur,
32:16convenience is key.
32:20But with drivers spending
32:21an average of £37
32:22at service stations
32:23on each trip,
32:24does convenience
32:25come at a cost?
32:28I think,
32:29considering the convenience
32:31of service stations,
32:33I think they're fairly priced,
32:35yes.
32:36They're all too bloody dear.
32:39Charges arm and a leg
32:40for a bit of petrol
32:41and other chop for food
32:43that's not up to standard
32:45of my wife's cooking.
32:47Well, we've obviously touched
32:48a bit of a nerve there.
32:50Pricing is a hot topic
32:51at service stations.
32:53So to get to the bottom of it,
32:54I've asked Jo from which
32:55to explain all.
32:57So we actually did compare prices
33:00up in Rugby
33:00for the service station
33:02and the local retail park
33:03and we found that petrol
33:05was 28p per litre
33:08cheaper at the retail park.
33:10So on a regular tank,
33:1255 litres,
33:13that's a saving
33:14of over £15.
33:16Wow.
33:16So petrol,
33:17more expensive,
33:18but you can actually use
33:20the Petrol Prices app
33:21or website
33:22before you set off
33:23and it will tell you
33:25the cheapest
33:25filling station
33:27on your route.
33:28You can't stop
33:28at a supermarket
33:29or somewhere else.
33:30There's actually
33:30a markup,
33:31more surprisingly,
33:32on food as well.
33:34Really?
33:34So, yeah,
33:35even the chains
33:36that you're used to seeing,
33:37so a sausage roll,
33:38for instance,
33:39it was £1.65
33:41at the service station
33:42and then you go
33:44to the local retail park
33:45and it's £1.30
33:47and it was the same
33:48for a small coffee.
33:50So you're looking
33:51at £2.90
33:52at the retail park
33:54and £3.50
33:55for the exact same thing
33:56at the service station.
33:59Wow.
34:00So how far
34:00does your hard-earned cash
34:02actually go?
34:03I'm going to put
34:04that to the test
34:04with a bit of help
34:05from Influencer Tia
34:06and Trucker James.
34:08I've got a challenge
34:09for you.
34:09OK, I'm going to give
34:10you both £10.
34:12Perfect.
34:13Yeah.
34:13So you can get
34:13the best meal.
34:14Let's do it.
34:15Yeah?
34:15Yeah.
34:16All right.
34:19I quite fancy
34:21a nice sandwich,
34:22to be honest.
34:23That looks very nice,
34:25but I'm going to continue.
34:28So why is it
34:29so much more expensive
34:30at a service station
34:32than it would be
34:32at home locally?
34:34Service stations
34:35are telling us
34:36that there are
34:37very genuine reasons
34:38for those inflated prices.
34:40They're open 24-7
34:42all year round,
34:43so that's the power,
34:45the water,
34:46the staffing,
34:47security,
34:48bathrooms,
34:50EV charging points,
34:51all of those things.
34:52Yeah.
34:53So there actually
34:53is a genuine reason
34:56for having a slightly
34:57higher price point
34:58at a service station.
35:01OK, time to find out
35:02where my tenner's gone.
35:03I went for the ginger beer.
35:06Lovely.
35:07Love a ginger beer.
35:08Yes.
35:08Got myself a nice
35:09packet of hand-cooked crisps
35:11and my no chicken,
35:12no chorizo plant-based.
35:13Nice.
35:15It's good.
35:16All right, Tia,
35:16what you got?
35:17Are you ready?
35:18Yes.
35:18Mine's fun.
35:20I have got fries
35:24and a grilled chicken
35:26Indian wrap.
35:27Ooh.
35:28So a drink,
35:29wrap and fries.
35:30But the real question is,
35:32who got their lunch
35:32for least spend?
35:34OK, so mine came to
35:36£9.50.
35:37I've got 50p change.
35:38Hey, well done.
35:41Fantastic.
35:41How much did yours cost, James?
35:43That's what I want to know.
35:44Came to a grand total
35:45of £7.85.
35:48Ooh.
35:49Very good.
35:50Did good.
35:51But mine's more filling.
35:56Mmm.
35:56Good?
35:58That is stunning.
35:59And if that's left you
36:00hungry for more,
36:01after the break,
36:02I'll be meeting the man
36:03whose appetite for service stations
36:05is off the charts.
36:07I have visited
36:08every motorway service area
36:10in the country
36:10multiple times.
36:13And I'll be finding out
36:14which service station
36:15beat off all the competition
36:16to be crowned
36:17best of the best.
36:18And that's what I call service.
36:31Welcome back to the show
36:33that's just like Top Gear,
36:34but with less Ferraris
36:36and more loose stops.
36:39I've been up and down
36:40the country to find out
36:41everything there is to know
36:42about our guilty pleasure.
36:43Service stations.
36:46I've been to my personal
36:47favourite pit stop.
36:48The perfect place to stop
36:50and pull over with the kids
36:51for a quick dinner,
36:52quick toilet break.
36:53I mean, what's not to love?
36:55I've had a glimpse
36:56of the past.
36:57If you came here
36:58sort of in the 80s,
37:00you wouldn't have,
37:01you know, McDonald's
37:02or Greg's
37:03or any of the things
37:03that you expect to see
37:04at a service station now.
37:06They were an event,
37:07especially if you were a kid.
37:08I had nostalgia about them
37:09and I never, ever
37:10got to eat in ones.
37:12I've even had a look
37:13to the future.
37:14Oh, I think this setup
37:15has encouraged us
37:15to spend much longer
37:16at a service station
37:17and also it's just
37:18a more pleasant experience.
37:19I almost sort of look
37:20forward to coming here.
37:23And I found out
37:24what the farm shop bus
37:25is all about.
37:26I know it may be
37:27a little more expensive
37:28than some places,
37:29but it's definitely worth it.
37:35Now, I may have learned
37:37a lot on my travels,
37:42but there's one guy
37:44who can still pit me
37:45to the post
37:46as service station aficionado
37:48and that's Rich Cross.
37:52Here we are,
37:53Rotherham Services.
37:54I am known as
37:55the Services King.
37:56Looking fairly quiet today.
37:58Be good for some photography.
38:00I have visited
38:01every motorway service area
38:02in the country
38:04multiple times.
38:05Today, Rich is visiting
38:07one of his absolute favourites,
38:09the newly opened
38:11Rotherham Services
38:11on the M1.
38:13This site stands out for me
38:14because it's just
38:15a completely different design
38:17to what we've seen before.
38:19The interior has depicted
38:21a typical Yorkshire high street
38:23with mock shop fronts.
38:24Rich has spent
38:25well over £10,000
38:27on his passion.
38:29They certainly are
38:30an exciting experience
38:31for everybody,
38:32not just kids.
38:33And they offer something
38:35completely unique
38:36and completely different,
38:37kind of a mini shopping centre
38:39on the side of a motorway.
38:41And it all started
38:42when he was just a boy.
38:44My interest in service stations
38:46began when I travelled
38:48with my father,
38:49who's a truck driver.
38:50It reminds me of
38:51inset days
38:52or school holidays
38:53where I would travel
38:54with my dad.
38:55These days,
38:56Rich has turned
38:57his childhood hobby
38:58into his dream job,
38:59making content
39:00for a website
39:01dedicated to service stations.
39:03Opening new service stations
39:05take a long time
39:07these days.
39:08This site took 15 years
39:10from the initial planning phase
39:12to opening.
39:13And it's very exciting
39:15when we do get one.
39:16And in 2025,
39:17we've had two brand new
39:19motorway service areas.
39:20So it's a very exciting time
39:21to be a part of
39:22the motorway services
39:23community this year.
39:25Big question coming up
39:26for the services king.
39:28What's your favourite
39:29service station?
39:30I couldn't possibly
39:31have a favourite.
39:33They all have their own quirks
39:34and their own
39:36interesting features.
39:38Enjoy.
39:39Have a lovely day.
39:40Maybe impossible for Rich,
39:41but luckily...
39:44Rich have asked the nation
39:46and crunched the numbers
39:47for us.
39:48Now, the votes are in.
39:50The wait is over.
39:53It's time to find out
39:54which service station
39:55has been voted
39:56as the nation's favourite.
39:58When it comes to the
39:59which survey,
40:00tell me the top five
40:03service stations
40:04in the country.
40:05So, number five
40:06is Leeds Skelton Lake.
40:10Best on the M1.
40:12Scoring highly
40:13for the convenience,
40:14accessibility
40:15and outside space.
40:16Oh, and a top spot
40:18for Twitchers too.
40:20Then it's Ken Lodge
40:21at four.
40:23Flying the flag
40:24for Scotland.
40:25This service station
40:26on the M74
40:27scored highly
40:28on value for money
40:29and is famed
40:29for its great local produce
40:31and excellent
40:32haggis pies.
40:34Then rugby.
40:38Rugby on the M6
40:39takes the bronze.
40:40Although it did win
40:41Lou of the year
40:42which is nice
40:43and it ranked highly
40:45for cleanliness too.
40:47T-Bay's number two.
40:51Oh, second place
40:52so close
40:54but it did score
40:55five out of five
40:56for their food
40:56and drink.
40:58I wonder if my cake
40:59had anything to do
41:00with that
41:00probably.
41:02So, go on then
41:03put me out my misery
41:04which is the best
41:05service station.
41:07The nation's favourite
41:08service station
41:09is
41:11Gloucester.
41:15In the south west
41:16of England
41:17Gloucester services
41:18on the M5
41:19blends the feel
41:19of a farm shop
41:20with the function
41:21of a motorway stop.
41:24Run by the same people
41:26as T-Bay
41:26they have over
41:27130 local producers
41:2940 EV chargers
41:31and three hours
41:32of free parking.
41:35It's got eco-cred
41:36countryside charm
41:38and a fan base
41:39to match.
41:40No wonder
41:40it's topping the charts.
41:43People really
41:44do love Gloucester.
41:45You know
41:46one driver said
41:47he's planning
41:49his journey
41:49so that he can
41:51stop at Gloucester
41:52services
41:52and I think
41:54the reason being
41:55you know
41:55it's quite different
41:56in that there aren't
41:58fast food chains
41:59there aren't franchises
42:00and also
42:01it's a beautiful setting
42:02it's really easy
42:03on the eye
42:04it's kind of
42:04seemingly built
42:05into the hill
42:06there's walking trails
42:07so you can stretch
42:08your legs
42:09walk the dog
42:09whatever you need
42:10to do
42:11and yeah
42:12people are
42:13raving about it.
42:14It's really beautiful
42:15here
42:16it's kind of like
42:17a meditation space
42:18of some sort.
42:20We like it here
42:21because the grounds
42:22give Buffy a chance
42:23to run around.
42:25They have some
42:26lovely things
42:27in the daddy
42:27which are occasionally
42:28by cheese.
42:29Fun fact
42:30is me and my sister
42:31and my mum
42:32call this place
42:33the Mecca
42:34don't know if you
42:35want to know that
42:36but because it's
42:37halfway between
42:38my house in Devon
42:39and their house
42:39in the Midlands
42:40and it's got nice
42:42pastries
42:43and food
42:44and fresh stuff
42:45and it's
42:45yeah
42:45it's funny.
42:48So do you reckon
42:49that Gloucester
42:49are going to be
42:50in the top spot
42:50next year
42:51considering there's
42:51quite a few new
42:52service stations
42:53being built this year
42:55aren't there?
42:55That would be
42:56really interesting
42:57to see actually
42:58because they've got
42:58a really healthy
42:59lead at the moment
43:01the bar's high
43:02like the bar's
43:03really high
43:04and they have to
43:04bear that in mind
43:05if they want to
43:06hit top spot.
43:07Well we'll have to
43:07wait and see won't we?
43:12And that brings me
43:13to the end
43:14of my service station
43:15journey
43:15from the convenience
43:16of Cobham
43:17to the stunning views
43:18of T-Bay.
43:20It might be true
43:21that the nation's
43:22favourite pit stop
43:22is a farm shop
43:23but I think it's fair
43:25to say there's a lot
43:26of love for them all.
43:31So drive safely
43:33and enjoy your
43:34roadside retreat
43:35wherever you may
43:36take them.
43:37I'm going to leave
43:38the final thoughts
43:39with some service
43:40station super fans
43:41who might just
43:42give JLS a run
43:43for our money.
43:45Here we are
43:46at Tony from
43:46service station
43:47it's a lovely place
43:48where we call home
43:50where we always feel
43:51like we're home
43:52once we've done
43:53our gigs
43:53so we stopped
43:54in for a cocoa
43:55on the way home
43:56and we're all happy.
43:58Here we go.
43:58One, two
43:59We can all be happy
44:01La, la, la, la, la
44:05We can all be happy
44:07La, la, la, la, la
44:11We can all be happy
44:13La, la, la, la, la
44:16We can all be happy
44:19La, la, la, la, la
44:50We'll see you next time.
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