Tebay motorway service station on the M6 has been named as one of the best in the UK.
A survey by consumer organisation Which? named the Westmorland Family-run service station as the second best service stations the best in UK.
First place went to Gloucester Services and third Cairn Lodge Services in Lanarkshire – both also run by the Westmorland Family – in the survey that included nearly 70 service stations.
The Westmorland Family operates a uniquely different model from standard motorway service areas, it said.
The family-owned business is devoted to local sourcing and has no fast-food chains or franchises at its services. Instead its service stations have farmshops selling locally produced food and drink and kitchens serving freshly cooked dishes made from scratch using real ingredients, including local produce.
Which? revealed its best and worst service stations as UK holidaymakers prepare to hit the road this summer. It surveyed more than 2,700 members covering around 5,600 experiences at almost 70 motorway service stations across the UK.
Members rated them on criteria including range of facilities, prices, and ease of social distancing.
The Westmorland Family’s service stations have remained true to the principles on which its founders, Cumbrian farmers John and Barbara Dunning, opened Tebay Services in 1972 after the M6 was built across their land.
They welcomed drivers with freshly cooked meals and sought to share prosperity with their neighbours by sourcing locally as much as possible.
Today, Tebay Services supports more than 70 producers within a 30-mile radius.
Sarah Dunning, chair of the Westmorland Family, said: “Quality local food has always been at the forefront of what we do at Westmorland Family.
“In a year beset by challenges, it is a great delight that all three motorway services are ranked 1,2 and 3 in the country. It is rewarding to know that our standard and commitment to quality food is appreciated.”
Westmorland Family chief executive Nabil Subuh added: “We’re so very proud of our colleagues and suppliers who have helped our services achieve these remarkable rankings.
“We’re a business based in quality food, but it’s the people who make and service this great produce that set us apart and we’re immensely proud of our teams.”
