Motorway "Rip-off" stations...

System

::)Just a small point to add to this debate - Burger King, Harry Ramsdens, Little Chef and Moto are all part of the same company, which incidentally changed hands three times in the last 18 months.

debeast

Wasn't the government ment to clamp down on this ?

As it was consideered price fixing???

It's definatly in my Top 10 of pet hates

System

Now my family are always moaning at me for being too tight with my money... So, as you can imagine, this should really be my homepage.....

Anyway, stumbled across an amazing bit of luck in a service area the other day. Toddington northbound (M1 just outside London) has a Marks & Spencer simply food outlet in it. Unfortunately the Sock Shop and Halfords have gone, but it does mean you can get a sandwich for only £1.30.

Most M&S products are price marked at the point of production, so they have to sell them at the same price everywhere. It seems they are offering great value food at proper prices in this MWSA. There's no hot option, so sandwiches or pork pies only please. But the prices do make a massive difference and the quality is far far better than anything that unWelcome Break or Moto can offer.

kaz11

I agree MOTO and the like are ripping us off.
Marks & Spencer Simply Food is as Jct 12 M1 Northbound.
Prices mostly as high street with some items with a approx 10 - 30p markup but still much cheaper than elsewhere.

Ra

On the subject of Harry Ramsdens...

Why do people use this chain? It's fish and chips at about five times the cost! What are they? Specially grown potatoes to each customers specifications or something?

System

;)after being ill with food poisoning from a service station sandwich, I now take my own packed lunch and drink and eat in the car park. Then use there tiolet facilities. I may buy a newspaper or magazine.
I will try Annandale Waters next time I am on my way to Scotland. Thanks

jmhagrh

hi all.

thanks for the 5 mins away tip - great!

System

Just to revive this one. Why not stop at supermarkets that are located just off the motorway? Larger Tesco, Sainsbury and ASDA stores usually have decent restaurants, toilets, take away sandwiches etc - most have cheap fuel too. Regular travellers will probably find these through trial and error, but to ease the process at least one supermarket - Tesco - has a free booklet with maps of the entire UK and locations of/ directions to every supermarket. The booklets are regularly updated - they should be available in the Petrol Stations.

You can get a decent full english for about £3 compared with £7 or £8 at Services, and fuel at about 74p/l

A good example is the Tesco that is just a few hundred yards from the M6 on the A69 at Carlisle - great stop-off point for a North/ South long haul.

leosayer39

Hi all,

Excellent Post Johnnie Boy,

Didn't know about the Tesco booklet, now that I do, I'll be picking a few up tomorrow

[move]Leo [/move]

Archie_3

Westmoreland at Tebay in the Lakes does have a farmshop - Fresh bread, meats, cheeses, fruit, veg etc you can make your own packed lunch at the fraction of the price of the reheated grot passed off as food. I recommend the pork pies - £1. In the next door shop a branded pork pie of poor quality they are £1.50