Latest news with #WestmorlandFamily
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Why this motorway service station is the best in Scotland
Cairn Lodge on the M74, which connects the M8 with Southern Scotland, was named alongside other well-known service stations, including Tebay Services on the M6 in the Northwest of England. Introducing its ranking, consumer watchdog Which? said: "Four years after our last motorway services survey, your responses still paint a bleak picture of a network blighted by dated and inadequate service areas, many of which are filthy. "And while the motorway you're travelling on limits your options, our survey of thousands of members, rating nearly 90 service stations, revealed that stopping a few junctions earlier or later could make all the difference to what you'll find when you pull in." Cairn Lodge was named alongside other service stations in the UK, including Tebay on the M6 (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Why Cairn Lodge on the M74 is the 'best' motorway service station in Scotland Discussing Cairn Lodge, Scotland's "best" motorway service station, Which? praised it for its "high-quality" food and great accessibility. The watchdog said: "Scotland's best motorway service station is also a Westmorland Family offering, offering the same high-quality food and drink the franchise is famous for. "The menu is typically full of crowd pleasers, whether you're starting your road trip with a hot Scottish breakfast, or stopping off for a dinner of freshly cooked lasagne or battered fish and chips." Cairn Lodge was praised for its 'high-quality' food and great accessibility (Image: Getty Images) It added: "There's also a deli counter if you're in a rush – and it wouldn't be a Westmorland Family establishment without a farm shop selling speciality produce from more than 100 producers, local and from across Scotland. "With four stars for its shops, facilities and accessibility and convenience, Cairn Lodge will set you up well for the journey ahead. "It's also one of the few stations that scored three for its prices – the highest we saw in this survey."
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Herald Scotland
Why this motorway service station is the best in Scotland
Introducing its ranking, consumer watchdog Which? said: "Four years after our last motorway services survey, your responses still paint a bleak picture of a network blighted by dated and inadequate service areas, many of which are filthy. "And while the motorway you're travelling on limits your options, our survey of thousands of members, rating nearly 90 service stations, revealed that stopping a few junctions earlier or later could make all the difference to what you'll find when you pull in." Cairn Lodge was named alongside other service stations in the UK, including Tebay on the M6 (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Why Cairn Lodge on the M74 is the 'best' motorway service station in Scotland Discussing Cairn Lodge, Scotland's "best" motorway service station, Which? praised it for its "high-quality" food and great accessibility. The watchdog said: "Scotland's best motorway service station is also a Westmorland Family offering, offering the same high-quality food and drink the franchise is famous for. "The menu is typically full of crowd pleasers, whether you're starting your road trip with a hot Scottish breakfast, or stopping off for a dinner of freshly cooked lasagne or battered fish and chips." Cairn Lodge was praised for its 'high-quality' food and great accessibility (Image: Getty Images) Recommended Reading It added: "There's also a deli counter if you're in a rush – and it wouldn't be a Westmorland Family establishment without a farm shop selling speciality produce from more than 100 producers, local and from across Scotland. "With four stars for its shops, facilities and accessibility and convenience, Cairn Lodge will set you up well for the journey ahead. "It's also one of the few stations that scored three for its prices – the highest we saw in this survey."
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Best and worst UK motorway service stations revealed – just 70 miles apart but one's ‘perfect' and the other's ‘filthy'
THE best and worst of the UK's 90 service stations have been revealed with only 70 miles separating the top and bottom ranked. A Which? survey has revealed the top ranked and the bottom ranked service station, many on the list were described as " filthy." 4 4 Gloucester made the top of the list winning five star ratings in several categories. Bottom the list was Moto's Bridgewater services in Somerset with a pitiful one star rating. The two dramatically different motorway service stations sit just 70 miles apart from one another. Gloucester services, owned by Westmorland Family, earned an overall rating of 85%. The service station won five star ratings in categories including shops, food and drink, facilities, cleanliness and accessibility. Westmorland Family also owns Tebay services in Cumbria and Cairn Lodge in Lanarkshire, both of which made the top five. Rugby services, owned by Moto, placed third and and Leeds Skelton Lake, owned by Extra, placed fifth. Westmorland Family's Tebay location came in second and their Cumbria and Cairn Lodge location came in fourth. Despite the firm's Rugby site placing third overall, Moto's Bridgewater services came dead last. Nine of the bottom ten service stations on the list are owned by Moto. Customers gave the Bridgewater location an overall score of just 23%. The site scored a dismal one star rating across all categories, it was described as " unwelcoming , cramped and overpriced." More than half of visitors ranked the food and drink at Bridgewater as "poor." 4 4 The results come from a survey of 8,677 experiences from 4,078 Which? Connect members in November/December 2024. One offered a dull verdict on Bridgewater services: "Time for a demolition job." Moto's Bridgewater site was also said to "look and feel filthy" and "smell of stale urine." By comparison Gloucester was reported by Which? to be "sparkling clean, have excellent facilities and outdoor spaces that are a pleasure to be in." Second place, Tebay services, also run by Westmorland Family was described in the same way. Fifth place, Leeds Skelton Lake, hosted its first wedding in December 2024. Moto service stations dominated the bottom end of the leader board with the majority of the bottom ten service stations owned by the firm. Ken McMeikan, CEO of Moto, said: "During the past two years, we have invested over £50 million in refurbishing our service stations and building a new motorway service area on the A1M at Sawtry. "This substantial investment demonstrates our commitment to enhancing the experience for all our customers. "We value customer feedback and are resolutely committed to addressing any concerns. "The most recent independent Transport Focus study, conducted in the summer of 2023, surveyed a significantly larger group than the Which? panel. "Moto achieved an average customer satisfaction score of 94% across our Motorway Service Areas. This feedback highlights the positive impact of our ongoing efforts." The Which? motorway service station league table Top ten Which? motorway service stations: Gloucester - Westmorland Family - M5 Tebay - Westmorland Family - M6 Rugby - Moto - M6 Cairn Lodge - Westmorland Family - M74 Leeds Skelton Lake - Extra - M1 Norton Canes - Roadchef - M6, toll Killington Lake - Roadchef - M6 Annadale Water - Roadchef - A74 Beaconsfield - Extra - M40 Donington - Moto - M1 Bottom ten Which? motorway service stations: Sandbach - Roadchef - M6 Frankley - Moto - M5 Kinross - Moto - M90 Toddington - Moto - M1 Washington - Moto - A1 Watford Gap - Roadchef - M1 Thurrock - Moto - M6 Lancaster - Moto - M6 Leeming Bar - Moto - A1 Bridgewater - Moto - J24
The Guardian
22-05-2025
- The Guardian
Gloucester ranked best motorway service station in Great Britain
There are less than 80 miles between them, but the gulf in quality is massive, according to a Which? survey that ranked Gloucester services top of the stops, and Bridgwater bottom. For many people motorway service stations are a place to take a break, grab a snack and use the toilet, but the rankings from the consumer recommendation group, which surveyed users of nearly 100 service stations across Great Britain, highlight the best and worst. The gulf in standards is vast, with some described as 'perfect to break up your journey' while others 'look and feel filthy' and smell of 'stale urine'. The rankings place Gloucester higher than 89 competitors, awarding it five-star ratings in several categories such as shops, food and drink, facilities, cleanliness, convenience and accessibility, and outside space. The M5 service station, which earned an overall rating of 85%, is owned by Westmorland Family, which also owns Tebay services in Cumbria and Cairn Lodge in Lanarkshire, which finished second and fourth respectively. They are joined in the top five by Rugby services, owned by Moto, in third and Extra's Leeds Skelton Lake in fifth. Moto's Rugby branch is one of 37 stations the company owns that are spread across the list, including nine in the bottom 10. Moto's Bridgwater station in Somerset ranked last, with a customer score of 23% and one-star ratings across all categories. Only slightly above is Leeming Ba in North Yorkshire, also ranked one star across the board and with a score of 26%. The rankings were compiled by more than 4,000 Which? members based on their experiences during a combined 9,000 visits to service stations across Great Britain. Ken McMeikan, the chief executive of Moto Hospitality, said the survey results used a smaller pool of respondents than a previous study that ranked Moto stations highly, and that the company was investing heavily in improving the facilities of its branches, where cleanliness was mentioned by numerous respondents as an issue. 'The most recent independent Transport Focus study, conducted in the summer of 2023, surveyed a significantly larger group than the Which? panel,' he said. 'Moto achieved an average customer satisfaction score of 94% across our motorway service areas. This feedback highlights the positive impact of our ongoing efforts. 'We are committed to reviewing the specific issues raised by the Which? panel and will continue to strive for enhancements across all sites. Our goal is to ensure that we always meet the high standards and expectations that our customers deserve.'
