Heston

Heston
Moto
14 more photos in the gallery
Road:	M4 between J2 and J3
Address:	Phoenix Way Heston Hounslow Middlesex TW5 9NB
Telephone number:	0208 5802152
Signposted from the road?	As Costa/WHSmith/Burger King
Opened:	1967
Previous operators:	Granada
Grid reference:	TQ118778
Services type:	Two sites located between junctions, with no public connection between them.
Visit Heston Westbound/Moto's official website Visit Heston Eastbound/Moto's official website Facebook Page

Heston is the last service area on the M4 into London and it's one of two located within the M25.

Main Page | Photo Gallery | Location, Map and Directions

Facilities

Westbound

General: Picnic Tables, Children's Play Area, Moto Meetings, Local Information, Showers, Moto Free WiFi
Restaurants: Eat & Drink Co., Burger King, Costa
Shops: WHSmith (with Costa Express Krispy Kreme)
Fuel: BP (with: Costa Express LPG)
Motel: Travelodge^{[book rooms]}

Eastbound

General: Children's Play Area, Local Information, Showers, Moto Free WiFi
Restaurants: Burger King, Costa
Shops: WHSmith (with Costa Express Krispy Kreme)
Fuel: BP (with: Costa Express LPG)
Motel: Travelodge^{[book rooms]}

Parking Prices

First two hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £12 and HGVs £18.50, or £20 to include a £9 food voucher.

Prices are paid using PayByPhone - more details. The location code is 2442 (westbound) and 2441 (eastbound).

The fees are strictly enforced by CP Plus.

Trivia

Heston opened two years late, at a cost of £500,000. The original design was supposed to be a bit more grand than what was eventually used. It was opened by the then Miss England, in a stunt designed to advertise the services' proximity to London and Heathrow. On 28th May 1981 the westbound services were destroyed in a fire.

The services are built on part of the site of the old Heston Aerodome, a disused airfield which the government used to build part of the M4 and the services. It's located amongst one of the most controversial road features in the country: the M4 bus lane!

Another service area is wanted between Heston and Reading, although they are only 32 miles away the problem is traffic joining from the M25 hasn't had any services for over 70 miles. When Cobham and Beaconsfield are built the problem will be largely solved and the latest plans may well be shelved.

It features briefly in the film 'Hot Fuzz' and was referenced in 'Gavin and Stacey', where Nessa says that she'll be "Stopping off at Heston's" and Bryn says that he "doesn't want to stop before Heston", although true pedants would have noticed that their journey from Essex to Wales wouldn't have passed the services.

Several sources are adamant that TV-chef Heston Blumenthal was named after his parent's love of the services, although he claims this isn't true.

Survey Results

In May 2012, Visit England rated the services as 3 stars. In August 2011, they gave them 2 stars.

In 2006, the services were rated at 3/5 by Holiday Which?

Also in 2006, Heston won a five star loo award.

Alternatives