Having an aversion to Motorway Service Areas, can anyone suggest a website or publication which lists alternative eating establishments within a few minutes of motorway junctions?
I like motorways for driving, but feel that the service areas leave much to be desired.
I have used "5 minutes away" but am not happy with it.
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Agree that 5MA's recommendations can be a bit variable and the info isn't always that up-to-date, either. Haven't yet come across any alternative site, though.
These days I use what 5MA say to give an idea of what's in the area and then make my own (internet) enquiries based on that. That seems to work pretty well, on the whole, but if you're pushed for time it's not ideal.
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just drive to the nearest village then,
you will nearly always find a decent butcher-grocer or a decent pub,
obviously invest in a map in case you cant get back on the motorway,
im off to scarborough sunday afternoon for a fish supper (round trip 165 miles).
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Rough Guide to Britain? Certainly the foreign ones are useful.
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just drive to the nearest village then you will nearly always find a decent butcher-grocer or a decent pub
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And if I want food at, say, 7am, the butchers (the butchers?) won't be open.
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I think if you want food at 7am you won't get it anywhere off a motorway unless you are staying in a B&B and you'll be lucky to get it that early even there!
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I think if you want food at 7am you won't get it anywhere off a motorway
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Most of the transport caffs Darn Sarf open at around 6.30am and they all seem to be open by 7am.
What do you do if you have had an early start and are ready to break your fast at 7am? Transport caffs are ok, but you need to know where they are!
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>And if I want food at, say, 7am, the butchers (the butchers?) won't be open.
Most butchers open quite early - my nearest is open by 0715.
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What a robust lot you are.
I don't think I could face raw meat at 07.15.
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You could do a lot worse than look up Tesco stores. They all do cold drinks, sandwiches etc., but lots have in store cafes, petrol etc.
One is well placed for the M3/A34 junction at Winchester, and I use it often.
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If only our motorways were like those in France.....where you know you can stop to stretch legs, doze, or eat every few miles. I have had some of my best kips in "aire de whatever" in France without any problems. Granted, the food at some of their service stations can be a bit plasticky in taste, but better than the grease monsters here. A plumb line could not measure the depth of my loathing of motorway service stations here in the UK. Vive la France dit moi!
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If only our <...> were like those in France
How many things could you insert into the above sentence?
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Do tesco"s still do the super 7 for £2.99
bacon
sausage
egg
tea
bread
beens
tomatoe
etc?
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>> If only our <...> were like those in France How many things could you insert into the above sentence?
er......not the toilets!
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And if I want food at say 7am the butchers (the butchers?) won't be open.
Just to be pedantic, (as usual), nerr, beat you all to it!, If it were a real Butchers then they would be staffed at 06.00. at the latest, but before you reply, a REAL Butcher. NOT a retailer of meat.
Good night. MD
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just drive to the nearest village then you will nearly always find a decent butcher-grocer or a decent pub obviously invest in a map in case you cant get back on the motorway im off to scarborough sunday afternoon for a fish supper (round trip 165 miles).
have you tried harry ramsdens in blackpool ?
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we have the original one up the road but its too commercialised now for my liking
never go to the magpie in whitby for the same reason
im a bit stick in the mud
anyway thats lancashire territory ;-)
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we have the original one up the road but its too commercialised now for my liking never go to the magpie in whitby for the same reason im a bit stick in the mud anyway thats lancashire territory ;-)
ee bye eccles cake granville
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I have to say that in my recent experience motorway services have improved . The shops are rather overpriced (£1.49 for a 500ml bottle of Volvic water at Corley last Saturday, I paid 50p for the same in a corner shop in the east end of London later in the day), but the fast food outlets charge high street prices and the ones I've visited recently have all had clean, modern toilet facilities. More than adequate for a toilet stop and a leg stretch IMO.
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I've generally found that the best alternative to the motorways service stations is to find a pub near, but not too near a motorway junction.
Most pub food is still the best value around for choice and quality.
The Good Pub Guide will give you some potential stops:
www.goodguides.co.uk/
or there's: www.pubfoodguide.co.uk/links.htm and www.fatbadgers.co.uk/
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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article in the paper the other week saying that the average pub meal costs the publican £1.17
no wonder they like to get the car parks full on a sunday
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