Wetherby Services: I went to this popular motorway services on the A1 which is top 20 in the country

Wetherby, located in the heart of the Great North Road which connected London and Edinburgh from medieval times until the 20th century, has a popular service station run by Moto.

Wetherby Services is on the A1 which pretty much runs parallel to where the Great North Road used to be. It’s a frequent stop off for commuters and for those travelling up north.

According to consumers in a Which? poll the services scored 51 per cent overall meaning it comes in 20th place out of the 72 service stations nationwide.

The pretty market town of Wetherby lies on the banks of the River Wharfe. It is in the golden triangle between Harrogate, Leeds and York and acts as an affluent funnel for travellers.

We've always driven through, only ever stopping at Stockeld Park for a day out, an event at Wetherby Racecourses or the many times we’ve relieved ourselves at Wetherby Services, We’ve always promised ourselves to return on a Thursday for market day.

We’ve never managed to get to the market, but due to my weak bladder, we have stopped many times at the services for a quick dash as my husband is usually eye-rolling because we are only 20 minutes from home.

This time, I returned to find out why it was one of the top services in the country since it opened in 2008.

As a backseat passenger, I always know when we’re stopping at Wetherby due to the familiar outdoor canopy and the Cornish Pasty Company hut outside. It’s a thin long glass building, it always reminds me of a posh bus station.

There’s an outdoor area to stretch your legs, and the indoors is a thoroughfare of food and drink outlets.

They do have Burger King and a Costa here, but my kids are more McDonald’s fans, and my husband only drinks Starbucks coffee.

That’s just our personal preferences. I love their M&S and WH Smiths (as it’s named for now), but I agree with the Which? survey that a lot of these places are overpriced.

It’s not a pretty place but it’s clean and practical, just like the hotel next door.

Days Inn hotel has over one hundred rooms with wifi and free parking. Normally, at the services you get charged after two hours. The hotel is reasonably priced, costing between £60 - £70 per night.

Wetherby has exactly what you need with laundry units, enough choice of food and drink and space to stretch your legs.

While it may just be a posh bus station compared to Yorkshire’s top services Leeds Skelton Lake, it has the substance but not the style of Leeds.

They do, however, have an extensive range of electric vehicle charging stations - and so could have an eye on riding up the rankings in the future.