Oxford

Oxford
Welcome Break
11 more photos in the gallery
Road:	M40 at J8a (also accessible to traffic on the A40 and the A418)
Address:	London Road Wheatley Oxford Oxfordshire OX33 1JL
Telephone number:	01865 877000
Signposted from the road?	As Starbucks/Waitrose
Opened:	1998
Previous names:	Wheatley
Grid reference:	SP624047
Services type:	Single site located at a junction.
Visit Oxford/Welcome Break's official website

This is the Welcome Break service area on the M40 at J8a. For Welcome Break's new services at the A34/A40/A44 junction in Oxford, see Peartree. For Moto's site at J10 see Cherwell Valley.

Modern services on the M40, Oxford is notable for its fountains around the front and a play area which the AA described a having a "high entertainment value". There is a good amount of open space around the sides, however these all back on to motorways and main roads.

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Facilities

General: Picnic Area, BT Openzone, Welcome Break Gaming, Children's Play Area, Traffic Information, Showers
Restaurants: Starbucks, Burger King, Eat In, KFC, Primo Deli
Shops: WH Smith, Fonebitz, Waitrose
Fuel: BP (pump types unknown)
Motel: Days Inn^{[book rooms]}

Parking Prices

First two hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £8 and caravans, coaches and HGVs £22.50. These prices include a £2/£8 food voucher respectively.

Prices can be paid in the shop and restaurant, with instructions in each car park. They are strictly enforced by ParkingEye.

Trivia

The services opened in 1998 and were the last services to open on the M40, a road which originally held the record for the longest major road that doesn't have any services. Until recently they were the most southern services on the M40 (despite two services being planned south of here), although Beaconsfield has now taken this title.

The early plans listed the services as 'Wheatley', but this was changed to Oxford upon opening. Like many services, this decision has attracted criticism as they're not that close to Oxford, and Welcome Break's new site at Peartree is actually closer to Oxford than their 'Oxford' site. The southern-facing sliproads at J8a were added specially for the services, and it was first thought that the northbound offslip would lead straight into the service area.

When the services were proposed other plans were considered at Tetsworth, Stokenchurch and Lewknor. Another site was considered on the other side of J8a, where there is a golf site, put forward by Wyatt Bros.

The services cross an abandoned railway line. They are home to the UK's first Waitrose motorway outlet.

Within a week of the services opening, the fire brigade were called twice: firstly there was a minor petrol leak and a few days later a fire was started deliberately in the toilets. The latter incident happened just two days after Welcome Break lost their nearby South Mimms services in a large fire.

Survey Results

In 2008 the services won a five star loo award. They came top in the English motorway services category.

In 2007, the services won a four star loo award. The petrol station was won a three star one.

In 2006 both the building and the petrol station won a four star loo award.

Also in 2006, Holiday Which? rated the services at 4 out of 5.

The services were inspected by the AA on the 3rd and 5th of April 2004. These are their results:

The services were said to be clean and appealing in many areas, but they had high prices.

Alternatives

Comments and Reviews

Showing the most recent responses only: for the full thread and the ability to edit your own posts, you need to view the topic in the forums.
Author: Message: ollie Nice and clean services,particularly the glass which is always immaculate(must have excellent window cleaners). great coffee but miserable staff. Posted: 23 Jun 2010, 16:24 therealdeal1986 who is that fine fox who works in wh smith....she definitely caught my eye and i wouldn't mind seeing her again,other than that it's a great place with friendly staff lol Posted: 27 May 2010, 18:19 chipbrilli brilliant, i first met my wife here, she was working in the toliets at the time! must go back!! Posted: 21 Dec 2009, 02:19 MatthewB6323 I called here about midnight this morning, finding both Eat In and WH Smith open. WH Smith has been reduced to about four-sevenths of its former floor space, and construction work is underway, expanding the remaining three-sevenths to accommodate Waitrose. Posted: 06 Apr 2009, 12:04 Anonymous Can't get Ipass to connecct to the BT Openzone hotspot here. Posted: 30 Mar 2009, 14:12 andrew Nice services, but do'nt use the mobile phone shop !! Not, that is , unless you like paying 150% over the manufacturers list prices. Be warned. Posted: 08 Feb 2009, 21:59 MatthewB6323 I visited twice yesterday - once at about 7.20am, the next just before midnight. On the first occasion the services were fairly busy - breakfast can be the time that some MSAs are seen at their best, and the staff were helpful and upbeat, which is what one needs on a morning. Midnight was another matter - most of the seating area was roped off for cleaning, though there was a lot of browsing and some shopping going on in WHSmith, and the only food area open was Eat In, where a sleepy staffer served me coffee but seemed barely awake enough to operate the tills. Still a sense of the place being modern and focused, though, which is what Welcome Break have always sought here. Posted: 20 Dec 2008, 15:45 Ollie These are excellent services, well placed and clean, especially after a long drive from Surrey! The prices are high, but it's the same at all MSA's- expensive! Compared to other motorways, I do think the M40 has the best services- if only the M6 could match this! Posted: 13 Dec 2008, 16:16 Martin The dirtiest services with the rudest staff I've ever visited Posted: 04 Nov 2008, 00:30 Dave'sHouseOxfordM40 Nice, big, airy and clean. Posted: 18 Jan 2007, 19:32
Showing the most recent responses only: for the full thread and the ability to edit your own posts, you need to view the topic in the forums.

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AA survey results from the Automobile Association, you can view the full report and what they were looking for in this PDF document.