February 16, 2009 4:55 pm
We rarely stopped at motorway services before Owen was born last year. We'd drive non stop to Cardiff, avoiding the eye-watering prices. But these days our seven month old's feeds tend to come while we're on the road. So on Saturday we stopped off at the Severn View services on the M48, just before the original Severn bridge.
It brought back memories: I stopped at these services many times in the 1970s, enjoying the view over the river to the Welsh hills. But as we carried Owen into the building, I realised things had changed. This was not the original Severn View (or Aust) services, with its huge cafe overlooking the river, but a small replacement with just a Costa Coffee, Burger King and WH Smith, along with loos. The view was of the petrol station, not the Severn. And it was freezing cold (Owen's hands were very cold by the end of his feed). The chap at Costa told us the temperature was controlled remotely from head office in Bicester. "Please write to complain, they take no notice of us," he added. After spending £14 on sandwiches, crisps and drinks for the two of us, we were far from impressed. We won't return!
Posted by Rob Skinner
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Very similar story. Before Esme was born we very rarely stopped at motorway service stations. The only decent ones I’ve ever visited are the Westmoreland Services at Tebay on the M6 in Cumbria – probably because they are independent and have great farm shops – still expensive, but better quality.
By Stuart Bruce - Wolfstar on February 17, 2009 at 12:25 pm