Britain’s ‘most depressing’ motoroway service station may be forced to clean up its act as a rival is set to build another pit stop directly across the road.
Bridgwater, which squats alongside the M5 in Somerset, has been a constant feature among the worst motorway services for its cleanliness, range and quality of shops and customer satisfaction.
In the latest Which? survey, carried out in 2020, the Moto set-up gained a customer score of just 32 per cent – while nearby star stop Gloucester gained 86 per cent.
And now competitor Welcome Break has swooped, and is set to build on a 10-acre plot directly across the motorway – saying they are ‘confident in our ability to develop a world-class facility’ and ‘meet growing local demand’ in the area.
It comes as customers stopping at the current Bridgwater Services slam it as ‘dirty and decrepit’ – as they pledge to ditch it for the new rival as soon as it is built.
Carl Stevens, 52, from Worcestershire, told MailOnline: ‘The station is pretty much depressing.
‘The car park and everything around is old and dirty and decrepit. The Travelodge is awful.
‘If there’s another service I’d stop there. Bridgwater itself is depressing – it’s like Holyhead. And I’ve been to too many service stations.’
Welcome Break has swooped, and is set to build on a 10-acre plot directly across the motorway from the current dismal service station in Bridgwater
In the latest Which? survey the Moto set-up (pictured) gained a customer score of just 32 per cent – while nearby star stop Gloucester gained 86 per cent
Welcome Break say they are ‘confident in our ability to develop a world-class facility’ and ‘meet growing local demand’ in the area. Pictured: Plans for the site
Carl Stevens, 52, from Worcestershire, told MailOnline that the current service station in Bridgwater is ‘old and dirty and decrepit’
Stephane Guillon, 55, from nearby Taunton added: ‘I’m not surprised it’s the most depressing service in the UK. If you think it’s a long way to access and the parking space is very dark.
‘It’s unbalanced because the space is very constrained. Loads of space is wasted. I think it will be more the locals who use this one and the tourists the new one.
‘If this one didn’t have the petrol station it would have been dead by now. The other new one will be more convenient. Bridgwater Station is not the worst but it’s in the top 3 of the worst ones for me.’
Welcome Break are set to start building the service station at the start of next year, while construction of the road network began in the summer.
With banks of electric charging points, they hope to bank in on the growth of staycations as Brits travel south towards Devon and Cornwall.
Photos of the new site show it on the same roundabout and directly across the road from the current station.
Ranking Bridgwater in last place of all Britain’s motorway stops, a scathing Which? review from their survey in 2020 quoted one customer saying it ‘should be demolished’.
They said: ‘Don’t stop at Bridgwater. Even if you’re desperate for the toilet. Not only is it terrible, but by the time you’ve left the M5, navigated two roundabouts, found a space in the cramped split-level car park and contended with the confusing layout and crowds inside, you may as well have driven the extra 12 miles to either Sedgemoor (52 per cent) or Taunton Dean (57 per cent) services.
Stephane Guillon, 55, from nearby Taunton said he was not surprised Bridgwater is the most depressing service station
Pictured: The site the new service station is set to be built on, with Bridgwater services in the background
Bridgwater, which squats alongside the M5 in Somerset, has been a constant feature among the worst motorway services for its cleanliness, range and quality of shops and customer satisfaction
Welcome Break are set to start building the service station at the start of next year, while construction of the road network began in the summer
‘You’ll wish you had. Bridgwater earned one star in every category of our survey, including cleanliness, with recent visitors describing it as ‘dirty’ and ‘depressing’; others complained of a urine smell and toilet paper strewn on the floor. Another simply said it ‘should be demolished’.’
And speaking to MailOnline from the service station, customers concurred with the magazine’s damning indictment.
Jean Foster, 72, of Devon, said: ‘Bridgwater Services is not my normal stop. We tend to stop according to mid points. It looks a little sad and a little tired.’
Steve Eason, 31, of Bristol, said: ‘It’s the second time I’ve stopped on this one. It doesn’t look very nice. The staff seem nice.
‘You go to the one you need to go to – it’s not a choice thing.
‘It’s a place where you can use the toilet. As long as it serves the purpose it’s what matters. It’s the people inside that make the place. It serves the purposes. It’s not my main worry in life.’
Elizabeth Hayman, 68, Waymouth said: ‘First time here and I wasn’t very impressed. I was very confused about getting here anyway. I don’t like multi-storey car parks. There’s not much around here.’
Helen, Bristol, 26, added: ‘It was fine. It needs better parking and maybe some more food options.
Steve Eason, 31, of Bristol, said it was the second time he had stopped at Bridgwater – and it didn’t look very nice
Photos of the new site show it on the same roundabout and directly across the road from the current station
Ranking Bridgwater in last place of all Britain’s motorway stops, a scathing Which? review quoted one customer saying it ‘should be demolished’
‘Probably will stop there [new service station] if it’s bigger has good food options and easy parking.’
Cameron Lomen, 21, of Bridgwater, added: ‘The location is what makes it [Bridgwater Services] depressing because of where it is.
‘They could add some entertainment. I’d be more drawn to it if there’s entertainment.
‘I was raised in Bridgwater and some areas are nice some are dodgy. As a tourist would I like it? No.’
Blake Morgan, 27, South Wales, added: ‘It seems quite depressing. It’s a normal station for me. The parking is good. It’s not the best Bridgwater – roads are terrible. Not recommend going there as a tourist.’
The damning reviews come after Which? revealed their top – and bottom – service stations of the year in 2020.
Bridgwater came dead last with a score of just 32 per cent, with second worst Gordano coming in with a 40 per cent customer score.
It scored just one star across the board for sections rating the range and quality of shops of food outlets, the prices, cleanliness and convenience.
The most recent survey – by TransportFocus in 2023 – saw the service station climb slightly up the rankings to 117th best out of 120.
With banks of electric charging points, they hope to bank in on the growth of staycations as Brits travel south towards Devon and Cornwall
Pictured: The site the new service station is set to be built on, with Bridgwater services in the background
Visitors at Gordano – also on the M6 – said the toilets could have been cleaner and there was little choice for food or drink. Changes have since been made, including a refurbished KFC and the addition of a WHSmith store.
But the damning rating said that the services were ‘an average pitstop at best.’
The pair were followed by Newport Pagnell on the M1, Sandbach and Keele.
Coming out on top of the list was Gloucester – run by the Westmorland brand, whose services scooped the top three spots.
The much loved stop – just an hour down the road from Bridgwater – had a stunning score of 86 per cent, with judges branding it the ‘gold standard’.
Customers complimented the ‘fabulous’ farm shop and said it was an ‘essential part of a journey through Gloucestershire’.
It was followed by the famed Tebay services on the M6, which also includes a farm shop and freshly prepared food.
Calling it a ‘first-rate, family-run rest stop’, the services are set on a working farm and in the Cumbrian hills.
Rounding out the top five were Cairn Lodge on the M74, Norton Canes on the M6 and Wetherby, on the A1(M).
Speaking to BBC Radio Somerset, Welcome Break CEO John Diviney said they had chosen the site as a ‘gateway to the South West and Cornwall.’
Talking about setting up shop opposite Bridgwater’s Moto services, he added: ‘We certainly believe there is the demand for another service station in that location.
‘It is quite common to have a motorway service area on both sides of a motorway, so while that Moto site will be on the north-bound side we will be on the south-bound side with our brand-new Welcome Break services.
‘We believe there certainly is a demand for that, and particularly as the UK gets more and more into staycations.’
Welcome Break declined to comment to MailOnline.
A spokesperson from Moto Hospitality said: ‘We are constantly looking for ways to improve our services across the UK and take all customer feedback into account.
‘We have a clear plan for transforming the rest stop experience at our sites across the UK.’
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