Hello Moto

Stopped at a motorway services today (a Bank Holiday), which was absolutely rammed. Still, what struck me is how different these places are from just a few years ago. And Moto, formerly Granada, have done the most to help change their image.

This services, at Leigh Delamere on the M4, has a big new (to me) Ritazza coffee lounge, a Upper Crust baguette stand, a new WH Smith newsagent and a Marks & Spencer Simply Food shop, which was handy and I did a mini shop.

So more and more High St. names are getting in on the act, or are being mimicked by the operators. For instance, Ritazza is a motorway/airport/ train station only coffee shop in the UK, and was owned until June 2006 by Compass Group, the world's largest food services company with a turnover of £11 billion.

They've all now been sold to spin-off Select Service Partner, which also owns Upper Crust, Millie's Cookies and the franschise to run M&S Simply Food in travel sites in the UK. So basically, stop there and your money's theirs.

Strangely, the place that looked most out-of-date and tired was the Burger King. At another services on the M1 a few weeks ago, I noticed that there was a large queue for KFC, but no-one at the Burger King opposite, probably in a mistaken belief that their chicken is healthier.

What's most interesting about motorway service areas is all the things they have to do as laid down by law. Apparently they have to stay open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (inc. Christmas Day), provide free toilets and parking, and fuel. And 50% of their profits are taken as tax by the Government. No wonder a cheese and ham toastie is £3.85.