Biggest motorway service station red flags from ‘Service Station King’ who has visited them all

Rich Cross, 28, has been dubbed the 'Service Station King' after visiting all 97 official UK motorway service stations in his two-door Smart Car - and he's been sharing his most striking observations, from red flags to the best UK service stations

Parul Sharma GAU Senior Writer 10:38, 07 Jul 2026Updated 11:19, 07 Jul 2026

Rich Cross has been visiting service stations for over a decade(Image: SMC Coach Hire)

A motorist known as the 'Service Station King' has visited every service station across the UK and shared his most notable observations, including the most important warning signs to look out for.

Rich Cross has spent more than a decade travelling the country's winding motorways and stopping at all 97 official UK service stations in his two-door Smart Car.

The 28-year-old, who hails from Bristol, has been exploring service stations for 13 to 14 years, and his enthusiasm for the hobby stems entirely from one person -- his father. The Service Station King would travel with his dad during school holidays, with the pair regularly pulling in at service stations for breaks.

It was during these journeys that Rich's fascination with how service stations operate first took hold.

Notably, Little Chef, a chain which no longer exists, was among the first brands that genuinely ignited the service station enthusiast's curiosity.

Now, he is revealing all the key warning signs he has encountered throughout his travels, exposing the service stations that have surprised him the most, and sharing his views on those in Gloucester, Tebay, Beaconsfield, Rugby and Cairn Lodge, which have recently been named the UK's best service stations in new research, reports the Express, reports Wales Online[1].

Rich has shared the biggest red flags to look out for in service stations(Image: SMC Coach Hire)

Service station red flags

Speaking to SMC Coach Hire[2] about the most notable warning signs he has encountered across the UK's 97 official service stations, Rich explains: "I don't like it when sites are too busy. If you're getting poor customer service because it's too busy, you're less likely to return. People want to be able to pop in and out quickly if they need to.

If the toilets are a mess, that's a big red flag.

"The condition of the road through the site is a big thing for me. It's a big topic especially for the lorry drivers, who are the most regular customers. Things like pot holes are a big problem."

Service stations that stand out

While telling SMC Coach Hire[3] that choosing a favourite among the 97 is simply not possible, Rich does keep a list of stations that have genuinely left a lasting impression on him over the years.

The 'Service Station King' shares: "So the iconic one is Lancaster Services on the M6.

It's got the Pennine Tower that towers above the site. That's usually one that crops up in conversation quite frequently. Back in the day it used to have a restaurant at the top there with views of Lancashire but unfortunately that's closed now.

"You've got Charnock Richard (M6), Keele (M6) and Leicester Forest East (M1) which have bridges where you can sit above the motorway and eat your food.

Those are quite quirky. Some of the newer sites like Leeds Skelton Lake and Rotherham are trying to do something a bit different and blend it into the environment. One of those has a big country park behind it with a 2k walk, so that's really different."

The UK has 97 official service stations and Rich Cross has visited them all(Image: SMC Coach Hire)

The perfect service station

So what makes up the ideal service station in Rich's view?

"A site has to have a variety of offers to cater for different types of customers.

The more brands you have in the building the better, it gives people options.

"Clean toilet and shower facilities are also really important, as are EV chargers. You need to have plenty of them, especially at the moment as the country moves more towards that revolution. Ease of access to the site is also a hot topic.

There are two types of entrance - online sites and offline sites.

"Online ones are the ones directly on the motorway that you just access via a sliproad. Offroad are ones where you have to come off at the junction and you've got to drive a little bit to get there. Online sites are preferred because you don't have to faff around as much."

UK's finest service stations - do they genuinely live up to the hype?

Gloucester, Tebay, Beaconsfield, Rugby and Cairn Lodge are often mentioned as the UK's 'best service station' - so what does Rich really think of them?

He explains: "Gloucester, Tebay and Cairn Lodge are all run by the same company, so they all have the same style.

They have a farm shop style, with a different and alternative set up. That's why they always rate highly. They offer locally sourced produce and everything is made freshly on the day.

They are all very landscaped, there is plenty of green space.

"Rugby is one of the newest ones, it opened in 2021. It's fantastically landscaped out the front. There is plenty of EV charging for people who need that.

The site is well laid out despite being a junction site. There are plenty of brands inside for people looking for a variety.

"Beaconsfield used to have the UK's only Wetherspoons. It's all about choice there, I think there are about 15 different brands there.

It's also the first site when you get to on the M40 when you come out of London, so it's popular for that reason as well - people stop before they go in or straight after they come out.

They've really invested in EV charging there as well."

References

1. ^ Wales Online (www.walesonline.co.uk)
2. ^ SMC Coach Hire (smccoachhire.com)
3. ^ SMC Coach Hire (smccoachhire.com)