Westmorland's independently owned farm shop on the M6 illustrates that there is scope to do things differently
The alleged worst of all the service stations has been refitted and renamed. Peter Kay once staged a cruel exploration of Britain's roadside culinary culture in the grim 60s eyesore off the M61 that was Bolton West. But its rebirth as the indisputably far smarter Rivington will not stir a song in the heart of many a traveller, despite ? or more truthfully because of ? the presence of big fast-food names like Subway and Burger King. There was a time when the dead hand of the civil service was blamed for the gory stodge served up in these concrete settings, since Whitehall retained a tight grip on the operations. But for many years now, commerce has been in control, and the results are evident in garish branding ? not transformed quality, and still less reasonable pricing. The long queue for a slurp of caffeinated sludge is no more bearable because it comes in a cup graded as "tall" or "venti". Food on the move needn't be this way: the street fare of India, to take one example, is traditionally both spicy and phenomenally cheap. Regulations and finances would admittedly preclude operating on Kolkata lines at Watford Gap, but Westmorland's independently owned farm shop on the M6 illustrates that there is scope to do things differently ? as does Heston Blumenthal's 2009 coup in taking a Little Chef into the Good Food Guide. Real choice, surely, ought to be feasible ? as should more realistic bills. Morrissey left his bag at Newport Pagnell; the rest of us might as well leave our wallets.
Private equity Nicolas Anelka Peter Beardsley Middle East Gareth Barry Children
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