South Mimms

South Mimms
Welcome Break
18 more photos in the gallery
Road:	M25 at J23 A1(M) at J1 (also accessible to traffic on the A1 and the A1081)
Address:	The Welcome Break Welcome Break Service Station Bignell's Corner South Mimms Potters Bar Hertfordshire EN6 3QQ
Telephone number:	01707 646333
Signposted from the road?	As Starbucks/Waitrose
Opened:	1987
Grid reference:	TL230002
Services type:	Single site located at a junction.
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South Mimms is situated at the busy roundabout between the M25 and A1(M). It has supreme local access, and recent refurbishments mean it is pretty modern. They claim to offer special facilities for truckers.

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Facilities

General: BT Openzone, Welcome Break Gaming, Traffic Information, Meeting Room, Children's Play Area, Showers
Restaurants: Starbucks, Burger King, Eat In, KFC, Krispy Kreme
Shops: WHSmith (with Costa Express Krispy Kreme), Fone Bitz, Waitrose
Fuel: BP (pump types unknown), electric vehicle charging point
Motel: Days Inn^{[book rooms]}

Parking Prices

First two hours free for all vehicles, after which cars must pay £10, which includes a £2 meal voucher. The truckstop costs £24.50 or £20 for only a limited meal voucher.

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

Trivia

The services were opened by Margaret Thatcher on 6th June 1987 but they had to be rebuilt in 1998 after a large fire on the 13th August caused by an unattended frying pan in Julie's Pantry. This makes them both the newest and, until recently, the oldest services on the M25. The temporary building which was used whilst the services were being re-built was then sold in an online auction.

The services' site compromises of several things, including a works unit. The only sensible route between the motorways and the village of South Mimms is to leave at the junction and drive through the services, where there is a link road to the village. This feature is pretty much exclusive to the services, and similarly they are the only service area connected to the national cycle routes.

Location

The services are off a busy roundabout, however its location presents an even bigger problem for the police. Over time, several illegal activities have been uncovered here, largely due to its location being where two major routes cross, one coming out of London (where South Mimms is the first service area you'd pass) and one heading towards the Channel Ports.

National Cycle Network route 12, also known as the Great North Way, runs from Hadley Wood to Hatfield via the services, and then it continues towards the North East.

In the Public Eye

The services were mentioned in Ian Sinclair's book 'London Orbital', which came to the conclusion that it was dire and in need of a refurbishment, with traffic queueing to leave the site and join the main junction. A few weeks later, he said things had improved. They also starred several times in Sky's 'Brainiac: Science Abuse' and 'EastEnders', and Robbie Williams has sang in the car park.

Roger Green wrote a book on the services titled 'Destination Nowhere: A South Mimms Motorway Service Station Diary'.

Development

Full details: Bignell's Corner

The services are on the site of an old truckstop known as the Beacon Café. They were originally owned by BP who leased the site out to Welcome Break.

Survey Results

In August 2011, Visit England rated the services as 4 stars.

Lord Adonis (Secretary of State for Transport) wasn't impressed by the services when he visited in September 2009, as the toilets were closed throughout his visit and there was a lot of confusion.

In 2008 the services won a five star loo award.

In 2007, South Mimms won a five star loo award. In 2006 it received four stars.

Alternatives