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South Mimms
MSO Home - Services List - South Mimms
Welcome Break services, M25 at J23 and A1(M) at J1
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Road: M25 & A1(M) (also accessible to traffic on the A1 and the A1081)
Junction: J23 & J1 respectively
Operator: Welcome Break
Location: Hertfordshire EN6 3QQ
Telephone: 01707 621001
Signed from the motorway? Yes
Previous operators: none
Previous names: none
Services type: Single site located at a junction.
Official website: Visit South Mimms/Welcome Break's official website
South Mimms is situated at the roundabout of 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.
Choose a section: Main Page | Location, Map & Directions
Facilities:
General: Cash Machine, Pay Phones, Gamezone, Meeting Room, BT Openzone, HA Traffic Information, Showers
Food/Drink: Burger King, Coffee Primo, EAT IN, KFC
Shopping: WH Smith, Fonebitz
Fuel: Shell (pump types unknown)
Motel: Days Inn
Photos:
Click on a photo to view the full size. If you have one to add, contact me. It's never too late to get your name in the limelight.
 | The front of the services. Photo taken in 2007 by Bill Henderson. It's used under this Creative Commons |
 | The Days Inn motel. Photo taken in 2007 by Bill Henderson. It's used under this Creative Commons |
Trivia:
The services opened in 1986 but they had to be rebuilt in 1998 after a large fire caused by an unattended frying pan. This makes them both the newest and the oldest services on the M25, and the temporary building which was used whilst the services were being re-built was then sold in an online auction!
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.
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' in 2006, where Dr. Bunhead tried to use his pathetic science to hitch a lift to several other services.
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. 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.
Survey results:
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.
Parking Prices:
Vehicle: | For up to 2 hours: | For 2 hours to 24 hours (weekdays): | For 2 hours to 24 hours (weekends): |
| Cars: | FREE | £8* | £8* |
| HGVs & Carvans: | FREE | £17.50 | £10 |
| Coaches: | FREE | unknown | unknown |
* Price includes a £2 meal voucher | |||
Alternatives:
- Baldock Extra services on the A1(M), 23 miles to the north.
- Oxford Welcome Break services on the M40, 50 miles to the west.
- Toddington Moto services on the M1, 25 miles to the west.
- Reading Moto services on the M4, 52 miles to the west.
- Thurrock Moto services on the M25, 32 miles to the east.
- Birchanger Green Welcome Break services on the M11, 39 miles to the east.
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