SURROUNDED by rolling fields and woodland, drivers who slip off the M5 between junctions 11A and 12 say they feel like they've just stepped through the wardrobe into Narnia - without the snow.
They're entering Gloucester motorway services - recently dubbed the ‘poshest’ in the country, so much so it's developed its own 'cult fan club'.
As part of a new series, where we visit the quirkiest fast food places and hotspots in the UK, The Sun paid Gloucester Services a visit to see if it lives up to the hype.
Nestled on the edge of the Cotswolds, the entire building is made from wood and glass.
With its grass-covered roof, the building is like something out of Teletubbies - but inside there’s a farm-shop, healthy eateries, freshly baked goods, a butchers, a deli-counter, a cheese counter... and not a golden arch in sight.
The produce on offer, including flatbreads, hot and cold baked goods, fresh bread, cheeses, meat, even the gifts, are all sourced from local suppliers, mostly within a 30 mile radius.
The atmosphere is one of a roadie’s respite - people from all walks of life potter rather than rush around the food stalls and ponder over what delights they fancy as they drink in their surroundings.
Inside is light and airy, thanks to the glass fronted design and the skylight which sits above the restaurant and food counters, just above two old ash-tree trunks turned into light fixtures and suspended from the roof, and there are real plants dotted around.
Even dogs are welcome inside, while owners can enjoy a woodland walk to break up their journey.
Outdoor diners can also enjoy the view of a well-kept large duck pond, fed by a babbling brook, at the rear of the building, or sit in a sheltered booth at the front.
Many drivers go out of their way to visit, and some have it on their ‘wish list’ after hearing rave reviews - or seeing it on the Channel 4 show A Cotswold Farm Shop last year.
Vicky Graham, 49, who stopped in on her journey from Birmingham to Cornwall, told us: “I’ve wanted to come here since it’s been opened, but just never had the opportunity to.
"It’s amazing, just the array and the feel of it, it’s really homely. It’s all very clean and fabulous. I love that dogs are allowed in, too.
“I haven’t decided what to eat yet. I want all of it, it all looks so good, and the prices are not too expensive. I love the diversity of the food.
“I’m going to treat myself to something from the deli and some pork chops for dinner. After Dry January I’ll probably pick up something from their drink’s selection too. I could spend hours here.”
The first thing I do is head to the toilets, passing two disabled rooms and three family rooms on my way.
Everything is extremely clean and I wash my hands before deciding to get a coffee - for which the beans are roasted 28 miles away in Bristol.
The flatbread counter cooks everything from scratch and I select the Lamb Kofta. The salad is wonderfully colourful and crunchy, while the hot sauce and tzatziki taste delicious on the lamb, which certainly is way juicer and flavoursome than supermarket cuts.
It was well worth the £8.50 price tag, especially as it could have fed two people.
A McDonalds, KFC or Burger King at any other stop off can easily cost as much, as they often charge 15 per cent more at service stations.
Time to try the hot food, where the menu features fish and chips, bangers and new potatoes, lasagne and steak and ale pie, which happens to be my favourite.
The Lamb Kofta flatbread was well worth the £8.50 price tag, especially as it could have fed two people
Julia Etherington
Vegans and vegetarians are also catered for, with meals including sweet potato and chickpea tagine, and mac and cheese.
I take my plate of pie, chips and peas, loaded with gravy, over to one of the three private enclosed booths.
The pie is to die for, with melt in the mouth steak and crusty pastry.
But the chips are not great as they have that unmistakable flavour of reheated potato, so perhaps they were kept warmed for too long. Not what you’d expect for £11.25.
I washed it down with a Karma sugar-free cola, which cost a hefty £3.
There is a marked absence of familiar big brands, which might not appeal to all - the only ones I've seen in the building are the tiny tubs of Flora for those who don’t eat proper butter, and the Dyson’s hand dryer in the loo.
You can’t even buy a bar of Cadbury’s in the shop - but you can pick up a bar of Ooh! chocolate for £1.40, straight from the family-run business in Bristol.
If you're just after a quick snack, you can order from the Quick Kitchen using electronic screens - much like they have in some fast food joints.
Here chips are £3, a steak, pork or pork and mushroom pie £5.50, and a pot of honey and mustard chipolatas is £4.
I take a tour around the farm shop, where shelves are stacked with products from bottle brushes to teapots and trinkets, all the products of 130 suppliers.
Actor Larry Lamb’s son , a former TV and radio presenter and Big Brother star, sells his Wildfarmed produce there.
Not everyone could afford to do their whole grocery shop there, as some are reported to do.
At the deli counter I pick up a scotch egg for £4.35 and a deep-filled sausage roll for £3.80. While I love Greggs, this is an upper class treat.
The deli also sells aranchini, quiche, chickpea and lentil cakes and pies, among an array of other foodstuffs.
For kids there's a fabulous play area made entirely from wood to help burn off the energy of children who’ve been trapped in a car for too long.
It gives parents and their children the perfect escapism from a long journey, especially if it’s raining and they can’t use the outdoor wooden play area.
Freelance geologist Scott Peters, 32, was driving from Northampton to Reading but travelled eight miles out of his way just to have lunch at Gloucester south services.
He said: “I’ve always worked all over the UK, so I’ve been to more service stations than many people.
“The food is nicer here than anywhere else - it's not fast food, it's cooked food.
“The shop is good too, the quality of the food and drinks is really good, and although it’s more expensive than high street shops or supermarkets it’s worth it. Because it’s local food it’s more inviting and tastes better.
Although it’s more expensive than high street shops or supermarkets it’s worth it
Scott Peters
“The first time I came here it was to find something to put in the oven, rather than going to a McDonald's or something like that.
“When you walk in it's inviting and bright, homely and clean. It’s not dark and dingy like a lot of other services.”
Retired chartered surveyor Norman Barrett, 76, from Devon, was travelling from Kidderminster to Heathrow airport.
“This is my preferred service station, it’s really well run and there’s a lovely dog walk, although I don’t take Louie inside because I don’t agree with that," he said.
"There’s too many people and he’d want to eat the food that’s out.”
Family-run business Westmorlands and local regeneration charity the Gloucestershire Gateway Trust opened the services in 2015.
Westmorlands owns Tebay services in Cumbria, and Cairn Lodge in Scotland, which have similar facilities and support their local producers.
Norman said: “I’ve been to Tebay, the scenery is beautiful and it’s as good as Gloucester, they’re on a par.
"The quality of the fresh local produce is one attraction - today I’ve had fish and chips, and it was excellent. The portion size is good, you don’t want to be too full up when you’re travelling.
“I also buy from the farm shop, like a shoulder of lamb or lamb chops, the butcher is really helpful as well.”
Gloucester services is certainly a feast for all the senses, a win for local producers and the community, and the accolade of ‘poshest’ service station is well-deserved.
Time to jump back through the wardrobe and return to the nightmare traffic on the M5.
