Top 5 star ratings have been awarded to seven motorway service stations from across the country as part of VisitEngland’s Motorway Service Area Quality Scheme, which says that service and facilities at 107 participating motorway service areas in England have improved to such an extent that a visit now “adds to the overall enjoyment of a trip”.
Five leading operators took part in this year’s quality scheme - Extra, Moto, Welcome Break, Roadchef and Westmorland, who collectively own 107 sites across England. A further 42 services received a 4 Star rating and the remaining 58 services are rated as 3 Star.
As part of the Scheme, VisitEngland Assessors anonymously visited all the operators’ individual sites twice over the last 12 months and completed a thorough quality report.
On each visit, an assessor looked at the whole of the customer journey, from initial arrival right through to the use of facilities, retail and catering outlets, to departure.
The sites’ service stations were assessed on the quality of catering, cleanliness, staff, food, forecourt, retail, service, toilet facilities and overall site– which can include anything from the baby changing, coach parking space or facilities for dogs.
Top 5 ratings were awarded to the following Motorway Service stations: Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, Junction 2 of M40, Extra, which features a JDW, Nando’s and Patisserie Valerie, achieved an overall score of 90%; Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, Junction 64 off the M65, Extra; Charnock Richard North, Lancashire, M6 between J27 and J28, Welcome Break; Cobham, Surrey, M25 between J9 and J10, Extra; Gloucester, M5 inbound between J11a and J12, Westmorland; Tebay South, Cumbria, M6 between J38 and J39, Westmorland; and Tebay North, Cumbria, M6 between J38 and J39, Westmorland.
James Berresford, chief executive of VisitEngland said: “The quality of Motorway Services in England has improved dramatically over the last few years. A quality service for visitors makes an enormous difference to people taking a much needed break on their journey – whether their trip is for business or pleasure. There are some true examples of these businesses going above and beyond to meet the needs of customers. What’s also fantastic is that seven individual sites have now achieved the top 5* rating, with all of the services received a rating of 3 stars and up – a sure sign of their commitment to providing this first rate service in the years to come.”
