We've all been to one at some stage.
Stopping at one usually starts as a necessity. Primarily petrol and a piss.
(Not forgetting coffee)
Once in there you have entered the retail web.
The monotony of the motorway primes customers to wanting. On offer – crisps, fizzy drinks, chocolate, Mickey D's...maybe a session on a vending massage chair. A brightly coloured range of products to help the kids rattle, feel sick and want more sugar by the next pitstop.
With no chance of shopping for alternatives, and very few healthy options, you are funnelled through the foyer of limited choices to quell your cravings.
That said, some are good and gain a cult following, proving worthy of a gold pin on a national map showing the service stations of the land.
Others are terrible and prey on empty fuel tanks and the unwary, making journeys longer and pockets emptier.
A late night stop amplifies how dire these long drive stepping stones can be.
These photos are from a late night coffee stop on the M5.
The dining table and chairs moved along the vinyl floor and placed by the roller doors of a closed shop. Within reaching distance was a tower display of screen-wash and a line-up of cuddly toys in cramped shelf conditions. Bon appétit!
No complaints – mission accomplished. Got coffee, didn't eat.
