Strensham

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Strensham
RoadChef
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Road:	M5 between J7 and J8
Address:	Roadchef Motorways Ltd Strensham M5 Service Area Strensham Hillcroome Upton-upon-Severn Worcester Worcestershire WR8 0BZ
Telephone number:	01684 293004 (northbound) 01984 290577 (southbound)
Signposted from the road?	As McDonalds/Costa
Opened:	1962
Previous operators:	Kenning Motor Group, Take-a-Break
Grid reference:	SO893407 (northbound) SO903399 (southbound)
Services type:	Two sites staggered between junctions, with no public connection between them.
Visit Strensham/RoadChef's official website

Strensham is a popular and modern service station, especially the southbound side. The southbound side holds a whole new list of brands including WH Smith and McDonalds as part of a successful trial which will soon be rolled out at all RoadChef services.

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Facilities

Northbound

General: Game On, BT Openzone, Meeting Room, Traffic Information
Restaurants: RestBite, Wimpy, Costa Coffee, Pizza Hut Express
Shops: WH Smith, Fonebitz, Cotton Traders
Fuel: Texaco (pump types unknown), with a Subway outlet
Motel: Premier Inn^{[book rooms]}

Southbound

General: Game On, BT Openzone, Picnic Tables, Traffic Information
Restaurants: Soho Coffee Co, Hot Food Company, McDonalds, Costa Coffee
Shops: WH Smith, Fonebitz, Cotton Traders
Fuel: BP (pump types unknown)
Motel: Premier Inn^{[book rooms]} - on northbound side, follow directions across bridge

Parking Prices

First two hours free for all vehicles, after which HGVs must pay £20, or £22 to include a £10 food voucher.

Further information is not available, please update this if you know.

Trivia

The two sides of the services are a good mile apart. Originally the services were built just like any other, if a little close to M5 J8. During the early 90s the M5 here was widened and J8 improved, bringing it closer to the services. This was used as a chance to move the northbound site further north, and the old northbound site became a works depot, and the southbound site's exit was been changed so that traffic leaving the services is thrown onto J8, rather than trying to merge onto a motorway which is full of traffic trying to leave. There is an extra lane between J8 and the northbound services, giving us a very rare scenario where there is a lane drop into a service area.

The northbound site has an air ambulance base which was built in 1998, and when RoadChef grasped hold of the services in the late '90s they bulldozed the southbound site and replaced it with something much more modern. Today this is the operator's busiest and most profitable service area, with Norton Canes coming a close second.

The original plan for the new southbound services included a mini-roundabout at the entrance to the car park, but this was changed as it would involve traffic coming up the sliproad to give way to people leaving the car park, potentially causing queues back on to the motorway.

The services in the floods

As part of the refurbishment, the signs for the southbound services now read 'McDonalds Costa' rather than the usual 'RoadChef Costa Coffee'. The refurbishment cost £1.6million.

In 2005 there were plans to build a motel at the northern edge of the southbound services, but these were rejected, partially because the services were already struggling to keep up with demand. Instead, the area was used as an overflow car park.

RoadChef executive Simon Turl was interviewed live in the services on GMTV on 1st May 2009, attempting to justify the prices after Which? stated that all services are unnecessarily expensive.

In 1991 the services were thought to be one of the worst in Britain with staff morale at an all-time low. This was quickly turned around.

The southbound services are significantly busier than the northbound ones, attracting approximately 3% more traffic.

Survey Results

No information is currently available, please update this if you have any.

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: joe Johnny ... thank you very much ! I can't believe you have been so helpful. take care and, again, thanks joe Posted: 03 Dec 2009, 20:28 Johnny It's easy to get to the northbound services from the southbound carriageway: the signs for J8 start at the same time as the ones for the services, so you can turn around at that junction. Getting from northbound to southbound is a little harder because J7 is some 10 miles north. Posted: 01 Dec 2009, 20:48 Anonymous thanks for your reply Johnny. Is it possible, though, to get to the northbound station whilst traveling southbound by exiting in any junction and then changing the traveling direction via strensham? ta joe Posted: 01 Dec 2009, 20:26 Johnny No, there's no connection between the north and south services. Posted: 30 Nov 2009, 18:17 joe hello I don't know if any of you could answer this question but I will ask anyway. We are traveling south the M5 and we have family traveling north, and we though we could meet in Strensham services. Do you know if it is possible to go from north to south service stations? thanks joe Posted: 29 Nov 2009, 22:24 carole not only is this service station the best,but also the staff,i would like to thank a redshaw who handed my purse in,and the lady who posted it to me intact,my faith in human nature is restored thanks carole haynes. Posted: 12 Sep 2009, 12:18 Alan Hi Carole. I'm afraid we actually have nothing to do with any of the services on this website. it is merely a provided of information, trivia and chat and an outlet for people to express their views on roadside services generally. However, you can contact the staff at Strensham on either of these numbers. 01684 293004 (northbound) 01984 290577 (southbound. Good luck and I hope you find your purse! Posted: 09 Sep 2009, 22:55 carole hi, i think services at strentham are great,but i stupidly left my purse in the ladies toilet today 9/9/09 at about 14.30, if it was handed in can you please ring me.i would be most gratefull thankyou carole haynes x Posted: 09 Sep 2009, 18:40 Johnny Stopped at the southbound services on a Sunday afternoon at the start of Summer. It was very busy, and the overflow car park wasn't clearly signed. There is also little grass space, and only a few picnic tables, although there was ample outdoor seating with the restaurant. All of the units are pretty small, the queue for McDonalds was about 15 minutes (never mind, they gave me a free box of fries for it!), and Soho Coffee Co had quite long queues too. Service at Hot Food Company was quite quick, but the seating area was very busy. Overall though, the food from all the outlets was fine and the services were very clean and more welcoming than other nearby services. Can't ask for much more than that! The road signs throughout the complex are much better than those at most other services, even if the exit route feels very long-winded. Posted: 26 Jul 2009, 21:47 Anonymous Went to that services for a chicken legend once at the McDonalds situated in the services and it tasted absolutely gorgeous! Definitely worth stopping at! Posted: 21 May 2009, 20:25
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.

With thanks to the user 'grizzle' for the information used on this page.

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