TII Motorway Service Areas (MSA) Progress Thread

Cookiemunster

Aontachtoir wrote: »

If it really was that much of a no-brainer, I'm sure they would have done that. There must be other issues involved that we're not aware of - eg planning issues, cost-effectiveness analysis, etc.

They don't have to build a flyover with a dual sided layout. It's probably way cheaper to build.

VR6

I know I will be accused of snobbery, but it's depressing that so many of the restaurants opening in all these service areas are unhealthy high fat / high sugar fast food venues like McDonalds and Burger King. OK you can get coffee and snacks in the shop areas, but this is very limited.
Here in the UK a lot of MSA's have an M&S or Waitrose food alternative (as well as burger joints) where the quality is hugely better than McDs or BK, and not an awful lot more expensive. I wonder will M&S ever bid for MSA's in Ireland ?
Surely not everyone wants unhealthy food when driving ?

veryangryman

Cookiemunster wrote: »

They don't have to build a flyover with a dual sided layout. It's probably way cheaper to build.

Ah i doubt that. Sure the MSAs with only the 1-sided jobs are there for lower trafficked places. Surely theyre the ones who would penny pinch more.

VR6

VR6 wrote: »

I know I will be accused of snobbery, but it's depressing that so many of the restaurants opening in all these service areas are unhealthy high fat / high sugar fast food venues like McDonalds and Burger King. OK you can get coffee and snacks in the shop areas, but this is very limited.
Here in the UK a lot of MSA's have an M&S or Waitrose food alternative (as well as burger joints) where the quality is hugely better than McDs or BK, and not an awful lot more expensive. I wonder will M&S ever bid for MSA's in Ireland ?
Surely not everyone wants unhealthy food when driving ?

Any I've been in had a fast food option but they also had a cafe (e.g. Costa) and a regular dinner section that did soup, sandwiches etc too

Which one were you in that doesn't have a similar setup?

BelfastVanMan

Deleted User wrote: »

VR6 wrote: »

I know I will be accused of snobbery, but it's depressing that so many of the restaurants opening in all these service areas are unhealthy high fat / high sugar fast food venues like McDonalds and Burger King. OK you can get coffee and snacks in the shop areas, but this is very limited.
Here in the UK a lot of MSA's have an M&S or Waitrose food alternative (as well as burger joints) where the quality is hugely better than McDs or BK, and not an awful lot more expensive. I wonder will M&S ever bid for MSA's in Ireland ?
Surely not everyone wants unhealthy food when driving ?

Any I've been in had a fast food option but they also had a cafe (e.g. Costa) and a regular dinner section that did soup, sandwiches etc too

Which one were you in that doesn't have a similar setup?

Costa Coffee is hardly healthy...nor is the rubbish served in those "regular dinner sections".

It's all overpriced junk that I wouldn't feed to animals.

BoatMad

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Costa Coffee is hardly healthy...nor is the rubbish served in those "regular dinner sections".

It's all overpriced junk that I wouldn't feed to animals.

Potatoes , carrots etc are " junk " ???

Overpriced is par for any MSA

OldMrBrennan83

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cml387

Steelwork is going up at the new services on the M8 at J14 Fermoy.

BelfastVanMan

Patww79 wrote: »

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If you're looking five star then I'd skip the service stations.[/quote]

Five star? No.

Edible, reasonably priced food that isn't full of salt and sugar?

Yes.

Not asking for much...

BelfastVanMan

BoatMad wrote: »

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

Costa Coffee is hardly healthy...nor is the rubbish served in those "regular dinner sections".

It's all overpriced junk that I wouldn't feed to animals.

Potatoes , carrots etc are " junk " ???

Overpriced is par for any MSA

The ones they sell certaiy are..

OldMrBrennan83

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Aontachtoir

Patww79 wrote: »

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And ideally, people shouldn't be relying on MSAs as their main source of nutrition! I think there's been a pretty decent range of choice at any proper Irish MSA I've been to.

BelfastVanMan

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

The ones they sell certaiy are..

Oh give over. They charge a reasonable price for a reasonable dinner. Is it fine dining, no. Is it organic, unlikely. Is it perfectly edible, of course. It's basically the equivalent of a carvery dinner you get in the local pub on a Sunday.

What you are looking for, nobody will pay for at a MSA. What you are looking for is a dinner at twice the price.

BelfastVanMan

Deleted User wrote: »

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

The ones they sell certaiy are..

Oh give over. They charge a reasonable price for a reasonable dinner. Is it fine dining, no. Is it organic, unlikely. Is it perfectly edible, of course. It's basically the equivalent of a carvery dinner you get in the local pub on a Sunday.

What you are looking for, nobody will pay for at a MSA. What you are looking for is a dinner at twice the price.

I will not "give over", thank you very much.

What I am looking for is an edible, reasonably healthy meal at a reasonable price.

This is not what we are offered in most MSAs.

Unless you are made of money and don't care what rubbish you eat, then I do not understand your incomprehension of this very basic set of facts.

Or own one of them, yourself.

BelfastVanMan

Aontachtoir wrote: »

Patww79 wrote: »

Depends. To most people, the salt and sugar are what makes the food nice.

And ideally, people shouldn't be relying on MSAs as their main source of nutrition! I think there's been a pretty decent range of choice at any proper Irish MSA I've been to.

What about lorry drivers etc?
Most of them are up in the middle of the night and have no other choice.

roadmaster

I think the apple greens have gone down hill especially Enfield but I've found the maxols very good between the Delie and chopped( I know technically they aren't MSA's)

serfboard

VR6 wrote: »

it's depressing that so many of the restaurants opening in all these service areas are unhealthy high fat / high sugar fast food venues like McDonalds and Burger King. OK you can get coffee and snacks in the shop areas, but this is very limited
...
Surely not everyone wants unhealthy food when driving ?

BelfastVanMan wrote: »

What I am looking for is an edible, reasonably healthy meal at a reasonable price.

I'm going to give a shout out to a place I ate in just last Friday (disclaimer: I have no personal or business relationship/interest).

Pulling into Applegreen @ Enfield on the M4 heading West, I too was looking for something other than Burger King, when I spotted, next to the "normal" restaurant that's there (Bakewell?) an outlet called "Freshii". Decided to give it a go and it was fantastic! Fresh food in a wrap, and you can have meat, or go veggie (or even vegan, I'd guess) - falafel, avocados, all the trendy "superfoods" are there!

I decided to look it up while writing this post, and it turns out that it's a Canadian chain (presumably operating under franchise here).

I would definitely recommend it as a healthy alternative.

Having said that, I washed it down with a Milkshake from Burger King

Dardania

Aontachtoir wrote: »

Patww79 wrote: »

Depends. To most people, the salt and sugar are what makes the food nice.

And ideally, people shouldn't be relying on MSAs as their main source of nutrition! I think there's been a pretty decent range of choice at any proper Irish MSA I've been to.

I worked on the original M1 & M4 ones - for the 6 weeks of commissioning back, where we were trying to hand over 2 every fortnight, I dutifully helped BK test their cooking abilities in each - definitely don't want to rely on them for nutrition or you end up fat!

BoatMad

anyine know whats happening to the Gorey MSA, dont see any activity

Fred Swanson

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raydator

BoatMad wrote: »

anyine know whats happening to the Gorey MSA, dont see any activity

Can't see this being ready for December.... I say it will be next year now.

OldMrBrennan83

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raydator

Patww79 wrote: »

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The building has been completed for 2 years at least now. It's just a shell. pumps are there, but no one is home.

jd

raydator wrote: »

Can't see this being ready for December.... I say it will be next year now.

The last update was early 2018

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104340044&postcount=1061

OldMrBrennan83

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BoatMad

jd wrote: »

The last update was early 2018

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=104340044&postcount=1061

hmmm. cant see why the " enniscorthy " comment was made in that thread, M!! extension will have little effect on volume at Gorey MSA,

jd

BoatMad wrote: »

hmmm. cant see why the " enniscorthy " comment was made in that thread, M!! extension will have little effect on volume at Gorey MSA,

There are a number of service stations between Oylegate and Gorey, I'm not so sure the MSA would get huge business before the new section is opened.

OldMrBrennan83

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BoatMad

jd wrote: »

There are a number of service stations between Oylegate and Gorey, I'm not so sure the MSA would get huge business before the new section is opened.

I dont think it will be a busy MSA, The m11 south of Arklow is very quiet

raydator

Patww79 wrote: »

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I live local and you can easily see the whole site from the local access bridge just before the main entrance bridge for the station.

I take a look every 2-3 weeks for activity.