YouTube filmmaker David Burnip embarked on a mission to review the UK's most poorly-rated motorway service stations, and his journey led him to what many consider the absolute worst: Leeming Bar services in North Yorkshire. His experience was so grim that he had to cut part of his review short upon encountering the facilities' toilets.
From Rural Haven to Apocalyptic Wasteland
David's tour began on a high note at the acclaimed Tebay Services Farmshop and Kitchen on the M6 in Cumbria. He described it on his Wandering Turnip YouTube channel as a "middle-class haven" serving "proper food" with "soul," a far cry from the standard fast-food offerings.
This positive experience sharply contrasted with the scene that greeted him at Leeming Bar services off the A1(M). The atmosphere was immediately bleak, dominated by the sight of an abandoned hotel that has been disused for over a decade. David remarked that the emptiness was "deafening," creating a "vacuum of life" that made him wonder where everyone had gone. He noted that parts of the site were scheduled for demolition last year, but even that project had been left incomplete.
A Functioning Service Station Clinging to Life
Beyond the derelict hotel and a run-down petrol station forecourt, David did find a functioning service area. However, the options for travellers were severely limited. He stated that after wading through the "wasteland," visitors are presented with the "fantastic options of a tiny corner Costa... and that is it."
The most shocking moment came when he attempted to review the toilet facilities. David was so horrified by what he saw that he could not even bring himself to enter, immediately awarding them a zero out of ten and cutting that segment of his review short.
Contrasting Experiences and Corporate Response
It wasn't all negative. David made a point to praise the staff, specifically mentioning that "the lady working at the Costa was absolutely lovely." Despite this single bright spot, he concluded that Leeming Bar was otherwise "an absolutely useless service station in such a horrible setting that it's just clinging onto life."
Part of the station's struggles are attributed to increased competition. The Coneygarth Truck Stop opened in 2014, and several other service stations have received approval along the same motorway stretch, drawing customers away.
In response to the criticism, a spokesperson for Moto, the owner of Leeming Bar services, stated that while customer trust and satisfaction have risen across their network, they would "review the specific feedback shared in these reviews of Leeming Bar services and look to make improvements as part of our ongoing modernisation programme." The representative also highlighted that £55 million has been invested over the past two years to refurbish key sites, with 75% of toilets across their network being upgraded.
