Latest reviews from Gloucester Brookthorpe

“As others have noted this is so different from the average motorway service station that it is unbelievable. There is an amazing selection of food, but be warned its prices are very high even allowing for their very high quality. Found a couple of local breweries that are new to me, and surprisingly their prices were quite reasonable. This is probably accounted or by the fact that they tend to be traditional breweries rather than over hyped craft ones though there are a few of these. As you would expect the service is way above your average motorway service station. Staff look like they care. Well worth stopping off but although some time as there is a reasonable choice of beers-that's before you start on the food.“

johndoughty 872 days ago

“Independent services on the M5 showcasing the best in local artisan produce. It's not cheap but no motorway service stations are, and I'd much rather shop here than at yet another Welcome Break or Moto with their bland concessions. The range of produce is fantastic. The range of beers, ciders & mead has changed a little over the years, there is a wide ranging selection and something for most tastes. Most fare is local, and trad rather than craft but there is often something new.“

Cheeseboard 946 days ago

“Really surprised to see a service station shop with a pretty decent selection of beers and ciders and even the odd mead. Free wifi“

deanso 1097 days ago

“Owned by the same people who own the fabulous Tebay Services in the Lake District, and with the same principles in mind - good quality, fresh, food sourced locally where possible, and friendly service. In other words, concepts alien to all other motorway service stations. And - surprise surprise - it works! The curved roof has been turfed over to save energy, giving (as others have noted) the appearance of Bilbo Baggins' house. On entering, you're greeted with an array of freshly baked bread; if you venture further into the cavernous farml shop area you'll also find a butcher and a patisserie - again, not your normal service station fare. The beer selection is decent - probably about 80 bottles from Gloucestershire and Cumbria (and neighbouring counties) micros, reflecting the location of their two service stations. Just as with Tebay, the service is very good - when one member of staff saw me looking at the beers he ran over to let me know about a special offer that was about to kick off, and also to recommend some particular beers he'd tried recently. I didn't try the restaurant, but it looked the same high quality freshly-made grub as I've come to enjoy at Tebay. The prices are similar to other services (ie high) but here at least you feel you're getting much better value for money than at your Moto's and Welcome Breaks. Compared to Tebay though, it lacks a little something. It's much bigger, and has lost something if the friendly intimacy if Tebay. It's also much busier, and therefore not as relaxed. And finally it lacks Tebay's glorious views of mountains and moorland and duckpond! All in all though, it ranks highly compared to other services, or for that matter to other local farm shops, and I'd recommend giving it a go if you're in the area. Would love to see these guys succeed big time and take over more services, and thus force the other tawdry service station providers to up their game a bit.“

wheresthepath 1608 days ago

“UPDATE: Less variety than my first visit 3 years ago. Emphasis is on real ale, though there are some Lost & grounded and a few other newcomers to be found. Decent cider selection, some new Olivers and Pilton. But not enough to get me as excited this time around.

Stopped off after watching a feature about this place on Countryfile. Definitely a lot more compact than most motorway Services, disguised in the side of a hill. On entering you’re greeted by HUGE wooden beams arching over the ceiling, in fact lots of wood everywhere in this place. Definitely more akin to a posh farm shop than a motorway services, all food regionally sourced & most prepared from scratch. No Mcdonalds or Subway here.

The shop to your right is where you’ll find the beer / cider / wine, with a mouthwatering selection from the Midlands, Wales and South West. Emphasis seems to be given to cider, with a respectable real ale selection and the odd ’craft’ too. I personally filled a basket full of new rates, with a lot of new producers present. Some nice looking pies, and lots of cakes, patisserie, chocolate and biscuits to keep the wife / kids happy. My only grumble is, after all this attention to ’proper’, artisan products, why have the coffee made from a cheap automatic machine? That said, no RateBeerian should pass these services without popping in. Also, note that both North & Southbound services are open and both have one or two bottles that the other doesn’t have.“

minutemat 2109 days ago

“Visited the Northbound side on 13th Nov 2017. Impressive if expensive selection of local and not so local bottles (even had Hobson's beers from Shropshire). They also had some of their own labelled beers from the Stroud Brewery. Food looked interesting, local and good, but again expensive. Unlike most motorway service areas, no quick in and out here, it's more of a slow, leisurely experience; so if in a hurry don't stop here, if you have time have a look around.“

BlackHaddock 2377 days ago

“Have been to both the Northbound and Southbound services, housed in the same type of building on both sides, the presentation of the ales and ciders is slightly different, although it’s the same ales whatever direction you are travelling in. Given its location there’s a heavy preference to Gloucestershire ales and others from the wider region, and as it’s cider country there’s no shortage of bottled choices from South West England. As this is run by the same people as Tebay services on the M6 there’s a number of Cumbrian ales available here too, obviously bought in bulk and distributed between their motorway shops. The prices are a little high, but not ridiculously so as most items in Services’ tend to be up and down the country.“

ManVsBeer 2863 days ago

“Nice place to have a lunch, dinner, coffee, with a nice shop where you can buy about 100 different local beers. Not very special ones but locals what you probably can’t buy anywhere else, especially not abroad. Worth to stop buy but don’t expect anything special.“

androman 2943 days ago

“Rather a pricey Farm Shop cum Services on both North and Southbound M5. There are a few shelves with locally sourced beers, not too much of great rarity or excitement. Big queues on check out. The Tebay services in Cumbria does it much better than this.“

imdownthepub 3133 days ago

“Newly opened service station that is run by the same people as Tebay on the M6 in Cumbria. Like that service station it has a farm shop that sells a wide range of high quality local produce. Beer and Cider range is very wide, covering numerous small breweries and cider producers, many of which are hard to find, at decent prices. Food in the cafe is very good as well. As Mr Pink mentions, the southbound station has yet to be built. Worth stopping for.“

downender 3543 days ago

“Better than any motorway service station I’ve been to. This place has a large range of beer and cider from the surrounding area. This appears to be several beers from a larger number of breweries covering Gloucestershire, Somerset, Worcestershire etc. Well worth a visit. The services are only on the northbound side not southbound.“

Mr_Pink_152 3544 days ago