How does this MSA rate with our visitors?: People who prefer this MSA 74 People happy to visit 1 People who avoid this MSA 10 Vote

Other Services On this Motorway:

Opened: 1993 Original owner: Westmorland Current Owner: Westmorland

Southbound Only (see Tebay West for northbound services)

Trivia:
The only service area to have won a Civic Trust Award

Built using natural materials and methods- limestone and reclaimed roof timbers. Views of mountains and moorland are offered.

Opened in 1993 with forecourt, shop and 300-seater restaurant and a lager spacious food servery area.

A new kitchen and a sandwich making department was built in the mid 1990's and Westmorland's food production was centralised at this site

Coffee Shop opened in 2002

Farm Shops opened in 2003 at both sites

The Coffee Shop at Tebay West has been enlarged and refurbished and renamed as "The Coffee Tree"

The company esp the Farm Shops were featured on BBC1s Country File programme a few weeks back

HRH The Prince of Wales paid an official visit to both Farm Shops and the Central Food Production Unit at Tebay East last month


Review:
Tebay is not owned by any of the big 3 chains, and that shows when you visit. And its all good. I Visited on a busy Easter Monday, and they had staff in the car park marshalling people to spaces- something I've not seen at an MSA before. It has a terraced car park, and if you wish, you can drive up to the Picnic area and enjoy your own food with beautiful Cumbrian scenery. Or you can enter the main building and enjoy a meal there. The cafe of course must resemble a cafeteria to an extent, but with natural stone and materials and a fireplace, it feels more like a country pub. Unfortunately when I visited, there was a queue outside the door for the ladies toilets (something I hadn't seen in years) although the Dynarod van round the side indicated that this was probably a temporary inconvienience.
The Farm shop is worth the stop in itself. Selling mainly local produce, it is perfect for something a little special, or as a gift.

Thanks:
Information contributed by :
Carl Ryding

See also:
Tebay West
Westmorland Entry on the Operators page

www.westmorland.com

Picture:

Tebay East (Southbound) - Farm shop is the building to the left. Easter 2004


Tebay 1998 (photo by Michael Evans)

Received votes so far and a sample of comments: People who prefer this MSA 74 People happy to visit 1 People who avoid this MSA 10 Selection of comments received very helpfull staff 09/07/2005 11:21:04 I always visit Southwaite on the way down to Wales from Scotland but always visit on the way home and stock up on goodies from the Farm Shop, which is wonderful. 14/07/2005 13:38:53 coffee shop never open...latest experience 25.06.05 at 1115hrs staff were still preparing for opening. They had effectively missed all of the breakfast and mid morning coffee trade. Costa Coffee down the road at Killington sounds a far better bet. 18/07/2005 14:49:56 Always go here if I pass it. Excellent farmshop, friendly staff, even had a half decent curry there. 24/07/2005 12:21:11 The best breakfast on the motorway! fantastic views from restaurant and well stocked farm shop. Really different 13/09/2005 21:57:05 I always hold my bladder, hunger and make my petrol last for Westmorland, always a pleasure to use and such great scenery too! 28/09/2005 05:16:41 The best place I know to stop on UK motorways. Excellent restaurant with home cooked food and beautiful views, no piped music. Great stopping place for anybody with dogs, plenty of space to walk them. Clean loos . The Farm shops are great 02/11/2005 14:35:24 Wonderful place- a mecca for foodies. My favourite MSA by far, and the only one we could really hold up with pride to compare with the French facilities. 02/12/2005 14:14:57 This is a grotty disgusting servives, staff rude, toilets unclean and stink its over prices and very basic. You are better going a few more miles to the beautiful killington lake. 03/12/2005 11:45:25 15/01/2006 21:15:09 Most expensive service station known to man 21/01/2006 20:53:45 yes a pleasant place to stop and eat. also it takes advantage of the nice scenery so you feel well away from the rush and pollution of the motorway. 28/01/2006 14:20:59 So, lets say you buy 4 coffees and 4 donuts. Comes to almost £12. You remember to bring your own stuff next time!!! 11/02/2006 15:47:41 Tebay is great.Very clean.Watching the ducks is very therapeutic and takes your mind off having paid £5.00 for a piece of fruit. 24/02/2006 19:38:32 Second best services in the UK (Tebay West is the best) 12/04/2006 23:11:09 £1.90 for small coffee and £1.75 for small teapot!!! Couldnt afford a cake.Rip off merchants! 20/04/2006 19:05:36 24/06/2006 14:51:48 Great farm shop, great location and views. Lets you forget youre on a Motorway journey. 29/09/2006 12:28:34 Nice farm shop & cafe 19/11/2006 13:54:43 easily the best services. worth a visit even if no need to visit. xlnt farm shop too 11/01/2007 23:40:39 too busy, not very clean, impolite staff. ALWAYS go to killington lake instead, much nicer there 12/02/2007 17:35:15 Along with Tebay west, this has possibly the best setting of an MSA in England. Being able to watch ducks and people windsurfing is very relaxing. 18/04/2007 12:07:38 I have already sent a letter of complaint to you but have not recieved a letter email or anything, my compaint was about the undercooked cold food i recieved and the none covering of the soup pots in the tebay services Mrs Dorothy Price 18/06/2007 19:33:43 12/08/2007 20:09:21 But the toilets both northbound and southbound are in desperate need of refurb 22/08/2007 20:21:42 I always stop here travelling South. Its good to spend money on a local company that cares for their surroundings rather than the big chains who just want to make outragous sums of money. 26/08/2007 01:58:47 Much better atmosphere than North-bound; staff more interested in their duties. 28/08/2007 23:41:11 Like its partner, Tebay west, this is probably the best MSA in the UK. The produce in the farm shop is superb and the cafeteria and service is second to none. 16/09/2007 18:19:32 The best service area on the motorway network. terrific foos store 16/09/2007 22:00:22 best in the land 25/11/2007 12:01:38 Best setting of a MSA in England. I always stop at both Tebays to shop at the superb farm store. When travalling between Stranraer and Birmingham 27/01/08 28/01/2008 21:30:16 prices high but well worth visiting! 16/03/2008 11:44:55

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