I am pretty familiar with the service stations on the M1 route between Leeds and London. I use Watford Gap, Northampton, Newport Pagnell, Toddington (Marks and Spencer’s)

And London Gateway, (Starbucks and Waitrose) a lot. And they are all pretty errrr to be honest. They vary from old completely decrepit buildings and filthy loos full of over priced product, I paid £3.80 for a plastic bottle of coke the other day, I honestly nearly keeled over and would have put it back except I needed the caffeine kick, to old decrepit buildings with a few brands, usually the same Waitrose and Starbucks trying their best to make the offering a bit more appealing.

There are 11 in total and apart from Donnington Park which is a more sprawling ranch style offering which does feel a little newer and fresher.

Leeds Skelton Lake Services – near J45 (serving Leeds area)

Woolley Edge Services – between J38 and J39 near Wakefield/Huddersfield area

Tibshelf Services – between J28 and J29

Trowell Services – between J25 and J26 (near Nottingham/Derby area)

Donington Park Services – near J23A (between Derby and Nottingham)

Leicester Forest East Services – between J21 and J21A (near Leicester)

Watford Gap Services – between J16 and J17 (Northamptonshire)

Northampton Services – at J15A

Newport Pagnell Services – between J14 and J15 (near Milton Keynes)

Toddington Services – between J11 and J12

London Gateway Services – between J2 and J4 (serves both northbound & southbound)

It does feel like owners of 4 of the 11, Welcome Break (Applegate PLC) capitalise of the need of consumers not their expectation. We stop when we need to, not where we like.

London Gateway Services (M1 between J2–J4)

Newport Pagnell Services (M1 between J14–J15)

Leicester Forest East Services (M1 J21)

Woodall Services (M1 between J30–J31)

The others are shared between Moto (3), Trowel, Donnington, and Toddington, Roadchef (3) Tibshelf, Watford Gap and Northampton and Extra (1) Leeds Skelton Lake. And I’d imagine if you asked anyone which has had the most investment or which is the best company operator, who uses these service stations regularly, they’d tell you, like me, they are all the same, mediocre.

Except I went to Leicester Forest East this week, a Welcome Break quite by chance. I never go there, it’s close to home for me so no reason to stop there on an outbound journey, I always want to get going and on the return I want to get home. This particular visit the driver, the reason to stop, was unusual. I’d dropped someone without a car nearby, they needed picking up in an hour so I had no time to do anything really and the service station offer 2 hours free parking and lunch options. I was there until I was needed again.

And when I parked and stepped through the door I thought I was in another world. The shock significant enough to share. It sparked me to snap a few pictures and write.

It’s the same format pretty much except it was new and clean, modern and shiny. The first thing I saw was a little gift shop, looked like the kind of place my daughters would shop, phone cases, jewellery, bits and bobs, chotskies, then the usual slot machines and gambling, Game Zone but much newer and cleaner and unusually empty. Usually these places are full with blokes in tracksuits, never empty seats, it was a surprise, I snapped a picture. Then I passed a large and glass walled Starbucks and a gleaming brand new Waitrose, OK it’s still Starbucks and Waitrose but foreign travellers wouldn’t be thinking what is the business hell hole. I followed the newly layer, black and white floor, noticeably cleaner, more modern and I ventured upstairs. The redesign had put the food court on the bridge, high up where customers and dinners could take a “Welcome Break”, watch the traffic beneath them more airport style

and relax for the allowed 2 hours free parking.

There was neon signs, modern art and big screen advertising and news feed between celebrity interviews, marketing for diners, a captive audience to stare at, it was definitely a marked improvement.

The food options were the same, Burger King, KFC and Taco Bell, the counters were shiny but the staff still grumpy and the lunch options unchanged. I thought how unbelievable it would have been to encounter just one unfamiliar company, a fresh more modern, healthier option.

I’ve seen Pret A Manger at Toddington which I often stopped at for, except the options are limited, the healthier options not available or sold out so I’ve kind of stopped trying.

Personally I’d like a plant based or vegetarian food company given an opportunity by service station business. On a long journey particular for drivers lighter healthier food is better, not a heavy greasy meal that makes you want to sleep.

I was so encouraged by the changes, the makeover, I went to the loo. Something I usually hold my nose and endure only when absolutely desperate.

It was better than the airport. And for the first time I didn’t emerge desperate to get outside and breath fresh air.

In conclusion if you are on route from Leeds to London or heading north from the capital and planning to make a stop, stop at Leicester Forest East, it is by far the very best of the less than average service stations offering food, loo breaks and a rest on the M1.