Inside UK's worst service station with urine-smell tarmac and 'disgusting' loos
The UK's worst service station has been announced – and it's gone to one unlucky institution for the second year running.
According to a survey of 30,000 visitors, Hartshead Moor East service station has been voted as the country’s worst for the second year in a row. The M62 pit stop, near Bradford is operated by Welcome Break, and got an overall satisfaction rating of just 84 per cent. However, inside the service station, visitors are divided on how they feel about the place.
Reporters from Manchester Evening News went to visit the station, to see what its all about. Built in the 1970s the service station’s exterior is looking a little worse for wear from some angles, but inside seems pretty clean. There was a lack of toilet paper in the facilities, however a friendly staff member was quickly on hand with a fresh supply.
Near Subway, Howard Stone, who is tucking into a meal from Starbucks, says he "isn’t surprised" by the station's unenviable title.
Gas engineer Howard Stone at Hartshead Moor East services (Manchester Evening News)The 50-year-old gas plant engineer, who is a regular customer at the services due to it being "the only one on the way" to Manchester, told Manchester Evening News : "It looks shoddy and poorly kept. That’s how it appears anyway - you go outside and it just looks dull and uninspiring."
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Asked whether the services had improved in recent times Howard, who lives in Leeds, simply replies, "no."
However, fellow customers Steven Moore and Jason Stonehouse, who both work in caravan after-sales and cover thousands of miles across the UK, argued it isn’t the worst they had come across.
Steven, from Bridlington, said: "It’s not that bad, it's not the worst in the country. The staff are polite and the toilets are clean."
Jason added that other services are comparably "more rundown" with "disgusting and smelly toilets" and "staff under pressure”.
Sat working in a quiet corner are Stephen Hall, 38, from Durham, and Jill Harrison, 49, from Cheshire, who tell us they also think the rating is a bit harsh.
Jill said: "We’ve got a nice bit of grass to look at here and a nice patio. It’s a little bit harsh. No one has bothered us and we haven't been kicked out. Parking was easy."
Outside, lorry drivers Robert Carl Mcdonald, 56, and Jay Hindley, 30, are not the service station's biggest fans.
Robert, who has worked as a truck and coach driver since he was 17 and said: "The parking is expensive, you're talking anything from £25 to £35 quid to park a night. Most services will give you £25 and they’ll say it’s £30 with a £10 meal voucher."
Jay, who has worked as a truck driver for 10 years, said "The showers are poor as well, they're not clean. During the summer this is horrific - when it’s hot the tarmac smells like urine. I’d rather stay in a layby, it's cleaner."
Robert added: "The toilets aren’t spot on either. You go in and go to a urinal and see stains all round it."
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Mark Evans, 35 and Carys Pritchard, 37, from Liverpool stopped at the station for a quick coffee break on their way to York. The friends were exactly blown away by the service station but have no complaints.
Mark says: "We only got a coffee. It was alright for what it was."
Carys added: "They [service stations] are all the same. They keep on top of the toilets here."
A spokesperson from Welcome Break told the M.E.N that during the time of the survey there were portable toilets in place.
"We are disappointed to see Hartshead Moor at the bottom of the list but are incredibly proud of the improvements that Welcome Break has made since last year, with overall satisfaction for Welcome Break increasing by 3 per cent to 94 per cent and toilet satisfaction increasing by 6 per cent to 91 per cent," they said.
The spokesperson added that a "considerable improvement in scores" is expected in next year’s survey.
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